There is often a lot of confusion and debate while determining which process to choose to achieve the best quality of 3D metal printing. If you ask me, I would rather ponder upon the procedure details and the quality of the finished product achieved before opting for any one of the techniques.
It is indeed a significant decision to undertake as that will govern the quality of your aluminum 3d printing service. While all the 3D metal printing procedures have their advantages and limitations, you must possess comprehensive knowledge about the processes.
I have stated below the customary 3D metal printing methodologies which are substantially preferred across the globe.
Classification of 3D Metal Printing
Two basic principles operate behind every technique. 3D printing is done either by melting or sintering.
In the process of melting, the powdered layers are fused by melting the particles. Whereas, sintering involves the application of heat and pressure that allows the powdered particles to bind together.
All the metal printing services use either of the two procedures to construct 3D objects.
- Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) – This technology employs the melting or sintering of powdered metal particles to construct 3D objects as the Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) implies. Finely powdered metal is dispensed on the build plate where a laser or beam is used to melt or sinter the layers until the targeted design is achieved. The distinct forms of PBF are:
- Selective Laser Melting (SLM) – It is the most commonly applied PBF technology where powerful lasers target the powdered metal on the build plate and melted or at times sintered to fuse the layers creating a solid product. Direct Laser Printing (DLP) and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) use a similar technique.
- Electron Beam Melting (EBM) – It is alike to SLM with only one difference; an electron beam is applied instead of a laser. EBM is considered to be a faster manufacturing process than SLM.
- Direct Energy Deposition (DED) – In this process, the laser and the feedstock or raw material, are rested on the same print head. Thus, the distribution and amalgamation of the feedstock are done concomitantly. The raw material can be in the form of powder or wire.
- Metal Binder Jetting – The technology used here is like that of conventional 2D printers. Metal powder is evenly dispersed on the print bed where the jetting head loosely secures the powder until the finished product is accomplished. A prominent advantage of binder jetting is the large-scale production of goods in a single batch. However, the metal 3d printing service cost of this process is pretty expensive.
- Metal Material Extrusion – Unlike the use of loose powdered metal, binding polymers are used which enable effortless handling of the bound powder. Once the designed product is ready, it is extracted and washed to remove any binding polymer. The product is then sintered to improve its built quality.
Conclusion
Now that I have guided you through all the 3D metal printing procedures, you must have at least gained a basic understanding of the same. Both melted and sintered metal 3d printing have their pros and cons. You must consider evaluating your budget and also the field of application before choosing any of the above procedures.
