Binder jetting additive manufacturing: spreading and permeation of multiple micron droplets in powder layer

Abstract

The spread and penetration of binder droplets have a significant impact on the dimensional accuracy and strength of the parts. In this paper, a three-dimensional numerical simulation method for studying the spread and penetration of multiple micron droplets in porous media is proposed and verified by experiments. The results show that the spreading diameter and penetration depth of the binder increase with the number of droplets. However, as the number of droplets increases, the magnitude of their increase decreases. The research results can be used to predict the true spread and penetration state in the Droplet-Powder system and provide help for further understanding the inherent mechanism of photocuring binder spray material increment manufacturing.