Influence of Temperature and Print Orientation on Anisotropic Sintering in Binder Jet SS316L

During sinteringSintering, components typically experience dimensional changes and shrinkage because of low green density. This study used dilatometryDilatometry experiments to analyze the multi-axial dimensional evolution of cylindrical 316L316L stainless steelStainless steel samples (6 mm diameter and 5 mm length) fabricated by binder jettingBinder jetting (BJ). Two sinteringSintering temperaturesTemperature (1250, 1390 °C) and three printing orientations with respect to the powder bed were investigated. The anisotropic shrinkage ratio was affected by the printing orientation and sinteringSintering temperatureTemperature. The build (Z) direction played a key role in the anisotropic shrinkage behaviour observed in the sintered materialMaterials. The ratio of shrinkage between the build direction and recoater-printhead directions (>1.10) was higher than the ratio of shrinkage between the recoater and printhead directions (~1.00). High shrinkage in the Z direction was attributed to primitive lines observed perpendicular to the build direction. As the sinteringSintering temperatureTemperature increased from 1250 to 1390 °C, the shrinkage ratio increased from 1.10 to 1.21.