OPTIMET

Additive manufacturing plays a significant role in reducing CO2 emissions due to its efficient use of materials. Metal binder jetting, in particular, offers distinct advantages. These include high speeds, low costs for high-volume production, and low energy consumption. However, various technical hurdles currently prevent the full exploitation of this potential on an industrial scale. The project aims to overcome these technical hurdles through a systematic investigation of the process chain.
An innovative approach involves, in particular, the development of steel powders with a bimodal particle size distribution and optimized packing density in combination with topology-optimized core-shell structures. Furthermore, the goal is to manufacture and test geometry demonstrators for heat exchangers, solid-state joints, drill bits, and medical grippers/tweezers, each made from different materials. These demonstrators represent the most significant application areas of the MBJ process—thermal engineering, mechanical joint and fastening elements, cooled tools, and medical applications—in which this process has not yet been able to realize its full potential.