Binder Jetting Additive Manufacturing of Metal Components

Binder jetting is a powder-bed additive manufacturing technique in which a liquid binder is selectively deposited layer by layer onto a bed of metal powder to form a “green” component. After printing, the green part undergoes drying, binder removal and high-temperature sintering or post-processing such as hot isostatic pressing to achieve full or near-full density. This separation of shape generation from densification allows rapid production of complex geometries, reduces residual stresses and expands material compatibility beyond fusion-based methods. Key process parameters include powder characteristics (particle size, morphology and distribution), binder formulation, droplet placement accuracy, layer thickness and drying conditions. The subsequent thermal treatments control microstructural evolution, densification kinetics and final mechanical properties. Binder jetting of metals is increasingly applied in automotive, aerospace, biomedical and tooling sectors, offering cost-effective production of both prototype and end-use parts with tailored porosity and mechanical performance.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Real-time synchrotron X-ray imaging has revealed the fundamental physics of droplet–powder interactions during binder jetting, capturing the formation of elongated droplets with trailing satellites, powder ejection on impact and a quantifiable interaction depth. These insights underpin improved printhead design and process window optimisation to minimise binder bleed and maximise green strength. In addition, advanced studies of non-metallic systems have demonstrated novel binder chemistries that dramatically increase green-part strength, offering pathways for similar enhancements in metal systems through secondary infiltration or reactive crosslinking.

Binder Jetting Additive Manufacturing of Metal Components publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in binder jetting additive manufacturing of metal components across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Green body: The as-printed component containing metal powder particles bound by a liquid precursor, prior to removal of binder and thermal densification.

Sintering: A high-temperature process in which powder particles bond by diffusion, reducing porosity and increasing density.

Hot isostatic pressing (HIP): A post-processing technique applying high pressure and temperature to eliminate residual pores and improve mechanical properties.

Densification kinetics: The rate and mechanism by which porosity is reduced during sintering, governed by diffusion and viscous flow.

Binder saturation: The volume fraction of binder relative to pore volume in each printed layer, influencing green strength and drying behaviour.

References

1. Analytical models for initial and intermediate stages of sintering of additively manufactured stainless steel. Acta Materialia (2023).
2. Effect of hot isostatic pressing treatment on porosity reduction and mechanical properties enhancement of 316L stainless steel fabricated by binder jetting. Virtual and Physical Prototyping (2023).
3. Binder jet 3D printing—Process parameters, materials, properties, modeling, and challenges. Progress in Materials Science (2021).
4. Real time observation of binder jetting printing process using high-speed X-ray imaging. Scientific Reports (2019).
5. Additive manufacturing of strong silica sand structures enabled by polyethyleneimine binder. Nature Communications (2021).