Authors: Madi Hancock
Mentors: Nathan Crane
Insitution: Brigham Young University
Binder Jetting (BJ), a type of additive manufacturing (3D printing), creates parts through a multi-layered process. Particles are bound together using tiny droplets of liquid binder. Binder jetting has advantages over other additive manufacturing methods including relatively low costs, fast build rates, and a variety of possible printable materials. However, porosity defects commonly seen in BJ printed parts limit the technology's usefulness in demanding industries. There are several proposed causes of these porosity defects, including poor powder compaction in printed areas, residual carbon from the binder, and powder rearrangement due to binder droplet impact. The relative importance of these factors is poorly understood. This study will compare observations of porosity in printed and unprinted regions of Stainless Steel 316 BJ samples to better understand the possible modes of porosity defects.