FROM POWDER TO PERFORMANCE
HANA Advanced Material Technology
Fused Deposition Modeling Technology
Fused deposition modeling(FDM) is an AM technology which can be applied with a variety of materials including metal, plastic, ceramic etc.
FDM technology manufactures the customized components extruding filament that made of binder and metal powders.
In the extrusion process, parts are made partly harden with heat on the nozzle part. Then, supplies feedstock, and repeats the process until the molding is made.
For high solidity on molds, remove the bond and do sintering process.
There’s no need to supply heat sources such as laser, electron beam in FDM, no need to maintain inactivity or vacuum state for preventing oxidation of metal powders.
FILAMENT
Metal filaments are generally manufactured by mixing 0.1 to 80 micron fine metal powder with waxes and binders composed of materials such as polyoxymethylene, polyolefin and polypolymer.
Metal filament can be used in metal 3D printers of FFF (FDM) type. Materials include tool steel, aluminum alloy, copper and stainless steel.
FFF (FDM) type metal printing technology, which feeds filaments containing metal powder is relatively new type of 3D printing techonology in comparison with general metal 3D printing of SLM (Selective Laser Melting) type and Direct Ejection Deposition (DED).
The wax component together with the metal powder in the filament plays a major role in creating and maintaining the desired shape when heated at the nozzle end of the 3D printer.
Then, it is melted in the washing process and removed from the 3D parts.
The binder in the filament decomposes when subjected to heat in the sintering process, which is carried out after the washing process, to assist in the diffusion of the metal powder and the binder is evaporated and removed from the product.
