Recent Advances in Binder-Jetting Additive Manufacturing: Processes, Equipment and Materials

Dear Colleagues,

Binder jetting is an additive manufacturing method that involves combining powder materials deposited in layers and a print head that jets a finite amount of fluid to bind the powder together. The accurate printing of models depends on the mechantronics of the 3D printing machine, powder properties such as size and grain ratios, the porosity and pore geometry between powder grains, and the precise jetting of the binder onto the powder bed. Current advances in material science enable powder grain chemistry to be controlled by changing the wettability and fluid distributions that can be used during the experimental testing of 3D-printed models. Therefore, powder materials also offer a way to explore the impacts of physical properties on the flow and deformation of 3D-printed specimens. As such, the solid yet porous printed powder can mimic natural porous media and may support a method that can be used to systematically control the amount and distribution of pores within a model. Representations of porosity in models manufactured with binder jetting highlight an opportunity to devise multi-powder and multi-material systems.

This Special Issue will be devoted to state-of-the-art research on new and improved 3D printing sytems that use powder materials to manufacture porous media. We seek submissions with original perspectives and advanced thinking on the theme addressed. Research on theories, simulations, experiments, and engineering applications are also welcome.

Possible topics include but are not limited to:

• Binder design and application;
• Printhead design;
• Multi-roller systems;
• Recoater integration;
• Powder development;
• Grain mixtures and sizes
• Multi-material printing;
• Experimental testing of powder models;
• Metal printing and casting;
• In situ sand compaction while printing;
• Mechatronics

Dr. Kevin Hodder
Dr. Sergey Ishutov
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Machines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• 3D printing
• binder jetting
• powder
• sand
• metal
• roller
• compaction
• binder saturation
• porosity
• particle size
• additive manufacturing