Optimizing 3D ceramic printing: a mixed powder approach to enhance surface quality and forming precision

Spherical and irregular powders are two prevalent materials used in 3D ceramic printing. Irregular powders are characterized by varying sizes and generally poorer surface quality. In contrast, spherical powders offer better surface morphology but are prone to splattering during the printing process, which negatively impacts the precision of sample formation. Mixing irregular powders with spherical powders can enhance the overall formation quality of samples. Consequently, this paper introduces a mixed powder technique tailored for 3D ceramic printing. Specifically, through experiments using alumina powders of different morphologies in single-track and sample formation tests, this study confirms that both types of powders are suitable for the mixed powder process and that the mixed powder formation results in superior quality.