Binder Jetting - Influence of Processing Atmospheres on Sintering Anisotropy of 17-4 PH Stainless Steel

Sintering is one of the most crucial steps in the BJT process as it determines the final dimensions and material properties of the metal components. The layer-wise printing process induces non-uniform powder packing in green parts causing anisotropic densification during sintering. This anisotropy in shrinkage needs to be well controlled to reach specified tolerances. While the impact of sintering temperature on densification was extensively researched, the role of the debinding and sintering atmospheres is often overlooked. Therefore, this study investigated the impact of atmospheres on the sintering anisotropy of 17-4 PH stainless steel. Hydrogen and argon atmospheres were the focus of the debinding and sintering trials. The resulting shrinkage curves were connected to the obtained porosities providing insights into the effect of different atmospheres on sintering anisotropy.