Additive manufacturing of pure copper and tool steel components using the CEM process

Composite Extrusion Modeling (CEM) is an additive manufacturing process using granular materials known from the powder injection molding. Thereby metallic and ceramic components can be manufactured by ensuing debinding and sintering processes.
The scope of the project is the development of feedstocks optimised for the CEM process based on a polyamide binder system with the aim of producing pure copper and tool steel components in an additive manufacturing process for the first time. The systematic development of an overall process is to be realised by modelling which describes the interrelationships between the influenceable process and material parameters and their influence on the final product.
For many additive manufacturing processes it’s the case that support structures have to be removed manually or by machining. By the development of a ceramic separation layer, which shall remain as a layer of powder after completion of the sintering process and thus generating a loose joint between component and support structure, these efforts shall be greatly reduced.

Contact: Erik Sebastian Schmidt M.Sc.

Duration: 02/2019 - 09/2022

Founding: Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi)

Cooperation: MiMtechnik GmbH, Schmalkalden