Metal binder jetting is known as an indirect 3D printing technology because additional steps are necessary to reach the final model after 3D printing. It is powder and binder based, which means that a binder is used to ‘glue’ powder particles together. We offer two materials for use with this technology: Stainless Steel (420) Bronze Infiltrated, and Stainless Steel (316L).

Advantages 

Our metal binder jetting technology lets you print your 3D design files with your desired characteristics.

• Stainless Steel (420) Bronze Infiltrated offers prints at affordable prices with a wide range of aesthetically interesting finishes. 
• Stainless Steel (316L) offers significant levels of detail and strength. 
   

Process description

There are 2 main steps in Metal Binder Jetting:

1. Binder-based 3D printing  

Layer by layer, steel powder is spread onto a build box before a print head deposits binding agent at specific points to fuse particles together.  

2. Sintering in a curing oven

When printing with Stainless Steel (420) Bronze Infiltrated, the whole build box is placed in the curing oven for sintering after the 3D printing step. Next, the excess powder is removed, and the model is infused with bronze to replace the binding agent. The piece is tumbled for smoothing and finished to achieve the desired appearance.

In the case of Stainless Steel (316L), powder removal takes place before oven sintering at a high temperature. Afterward, the model is mechanically polished.  

Limitations of the technology 

As the binder-jetted ‘green state’ models are still fragile before sintering, we recommend designing self-supporting structures to avoid damage. Please refer to your chosen material’s Design Guide for more design tips.