Binder Jetting (Metal)

Metal binder jetting prints powder with a liquid binder, then debinds and sinters to dense parts, enabling high throughput complex shapes with shrinkage.

Overview

Metal binder jetting builds parts by selectively depositing a liquid binder into a bed of metal powder, creating a “green” part that’s then cured, debound, and sintered to near-full density. Because there’s no high-power laser melting, the process supports high build rates, large batch nesting, and minimal thermal distortion during printing.

Choose it for complex near-net shapes, lattices, and high part counts where cost per part matters and post-processing is acceptable. The main tradeoffs are sintering shrinkage (often ~15–20% linear, material- and geometry-dependent), distortion risk on thin/asymmetric features, and properties tied to final density and heat treat. Expect machining on datums, threads, sealing faces, and tight-fit features, plus finishing like tumbling, bead blast, or infiltration/HIP depending on the alloy and requirements.

Common Materials

  • 17-4 PH stainless steel
  • 316L stainless steel
  • 4140 steel
  • H13 tool steel
  • Inconel 625
  • Copper

Tolerances

±0.010 in (±0.25 mm) after sintering; tighter features typically machined

Applications

  • Tooling inserts with conformal cooling
  • Automotive brackets and housings
  • Heat exchangers and manifolds
  • Pump impellers
  • Lattice energy absorbers
  • Small gears and sprockets

When to Choose Binder Jetting (Metal)

Good fit for near-net metal parts with complex geometry where you can accept sintering shrink and plan machining on critical interfaces. Works best when you can nest many parts per build to drive down unit cost and when designs are robust to sinter distortion. Expect secondary operations for precision fits, flatness, and cosmetic requirements.

vs Laser Powder Bed Fusion (DMLS/SLM)

Choose metal binder jetting when throughput and cost per part matter more than as-printed accuracy and you can rely on sinter + machining for final tolerances. It’s strong for batching many parts and for geometries that would require extensive support strategy and thermal management in LPBF.

vs Electron Beam Melting (EBM)

Choose metal binder jetting when you need fine features in common steels/stainless/copper and want high nesting density without vacuum and high-temperature build constraints. It’s typically better for mixed, high-count builds where sintering shrink can be managed with established scale factors and fixtures.

vs Direct Energy Deposition (DED)

Choose metal binder jetting when you want complex near-net shapes and small-to-medium parts produced in volume rather than adding material onto an existing component. It’s typically better for uniform wall sections and detailed features that would be inefficient to build with bead-based deposition and then machine back.

Design Considerations

  • Plan for sintering shrinkage by dimensioning critical features for post-sinter machining and defining which surfaces are machined datums
  • Avoid thin, tall, asymmetric walls; keep section thickness uniform to reduce distortion and differential shrink
  • Add machining stock on sealing faces, bearing bores, threads, and press-fit features; don’t rely on sintered tolerances there
  • Design stable sinter orientation with flat support areas or sacrificial feet that can be removed after sinter
  • Use generous fillets and consistent transitions to reduce stress concentrations and warpage during debind/sinter
  • Call out target density, heat treat, and any HIP/infiltration requirements early; they drive cost and achievable properties