Sinterable 3D Printing Filament for Metal and Ceramic Parts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 3D printing feedstocks face challenges in achieving the necessary flexibility, stiffness, stickiness, and viscosity for high-quality output, particularly in fused deposition modeling, where volumetric flow errors and filament diameter variability impact product quality, and existing materials lack suitable mechanical and thermal properties for complex part production.
Innovation Solution
A filament comprising metal or ceramic powder, a thermoplastic binder with a plasticizer, and optional additives, designed to provide consistent diameter, optimal viscosity, and strong adhesion, which is printed into a green body and then sintered to produce a coherent, high-resolution 3D structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a thermoplastic binder is used to provide flexibility and adhesion for 3D printing, then bonding ability between mass strands is improved, but volumetric flow errors and diameter variability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the thermoplastic binder composition by incorporating specific plasticizers and adjusting molecular weight parameters to achieve optimal balance between adhesion and flow consistency. The binder formulation is tuned to maintain appropriate viscosity and bonding characteristics while reducing diameter variability during extrusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite binder system combining thermoplastic polymer with plasticizers and optionally waxes. This composite formulation provides the necessary adhesion for bonding mass strands while the plasticizer components regulate flow properties and reduce volumetric errors during the printing process.
2Manufacturing precision
If filament diameter is minimized to reduce volumetric flow errors, then manufacturing precision is improved, but handling and extrusion difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes filament diameter parameters and extrusion process parameters to achieve the finest practical diameter while maintaining ease of handling. The thermoplastic binder composition is specifically formulated to provide appropriate flexibility and softness that facilitates extrusion of minimized diameter filaments without excessive difficulty.
3Strength
If stickiness is increased to improve bonding between printed mass strands, then adhesion is improved, but suitability for powder injection molding decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates different feedstock formulations tailored to specific printing locations and requirements. The stickiness and adhesion properties are optimized for the printing zone where mass strands need to bond, while other regions of the feedstock system maintain properties suitable for handling and processing in different manufacturing contexts.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adjusts compositional parameters of the thermoplastic binder, particularly plasticizer content and polymer molecular weight, to achieve the precise stickiness level required for mass strand bonding. These parameter changes are specifically tuned to enhance adhesion during printing while maintaining overall feedstock versatility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The proposed filament solution achieves improved bonding between layers, reduced volumetric flow errors, and enhanced mechanical properties, resulting in high-resolution, reproducible 3D printed objects with minimal shrinkage and optimal Shore A hardness for effective sintering.
Implementation Method 1
a thermoplastic binder comprising a thermoplastic polymer and at least one plasticizer
Implementation Method 2
a thermoplastic binder comprising a thermoplastic polymer and at least one plasticizer
Implementation Method 3
the body is heated to temperatures where the metal or ceramic components are sintered
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a filament suitable to be used in a 3D printing device, wherein the filament comprises a metal and/or ceramic powder, a thermoplastic binder and additives. The invention also relates to a process for producing a shaped body comprising the step of printing a shaped green body using the filament according to the invention. Also provided is the use of a filament according to the invention in a 3D printing device and a green body producible by mixing a metal and/or ceramic powder and a thermoplastic binder. The invention also relates to the use of a binder of the invention for the production of a filament for 3D printing devices.