Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is currently the dominant method for Additive Manufacturing of metals in equipment manufacturers, research, and applications. However, LPBF has limitations in terms of geometries, materials, and productivity. Therefore, sinter-based additive manufacturing (SBAM) processes like Metal Binder Jetting (MBJ) or Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) are gaining importance. New processes like MoldJet (MJ) or Lithography-based Metal Manufacturing (LMM) are also entering the market and attracting attention for their promising properties. It is clear that there is still a need for intensive development in accompanying processes like heat treatment and sinter simulation. This review highlights the status of the most important sinter-based processes and compares them with LPBF. Additionally, it outlines future development trends and estimates the market potential of the various SBAM processes.
Institute:
Fraunhofer IFAM
Contact:
Dr. Thomas Studnitzky, thomas.studnitzky@ifam.fraunhofer.de