This heat exchanger and gyroid, both made of reaction-bonded silicon carbide, were binder jet 3D printed on a Desktop Metal X-Series system. (Photo: Business Wire)
Manufacturers now have the ability to fabricate large, complex ceramic designs quickly from low to high mass production volumes—eliminating molds, matrices, and other more expensive manufacturing requirements, the company said.
BOSTON—Additive manufacturing technologies company Desktop Metal, Inc., is intensifying its development of technical ceramic and cermet offerings across its portfolio due to customer demand, primarily for silicon carbide, carbon, and tungsten carbide cobalt, the company said in a release.
“Every day, Desktop Metal binder jet systems are being used to produce innovative ceramic products in a wide range of mission-critical sectors, including aerospace, automotive, energy, and more,” said Desktop Founder and CEO Ric Fulop, in a statement. “We’re proud to announce we’re intensifying development of ceramic offerings so that more manufacturers can enjoy the benefits of binder jetting ceramics. Our technology gives ceramic manufacturers incredible flexibility, not just in the geometric design, but also in the internal part structure and material properties.”
The broad flexibility of binder jet 3D printing is said to be well-suited for rapidly fabricating technical ceramic powders into complex geometries in any volume, from small batch runs to volume production. Additionally, binder jetting’s ability to tightly control the structure of ceramic designs, from porous possibilities to full density, also enables a wide range of post-processing techniques that are highly desirable in ceramic production, according to Desktop Metal.
The company said that customers worldwide are now using more than five sand and metal models of Desktop Metal systems to produce commercial ceramic products. A conversion kit and other modifications are required. Model selection depends on the particle size of the ceramic being processed and other requirements.
Ceramics are often used for the most advanced technology applications. Desktop Metal said it currently works with manufacturers on a contract basis to develop and qualify specific applications for the material.
A new brochure highlighting Desktop Metal’s offerings and customer case studies in ceramics is now available at TeamDM.com/ceramics.