Powder bed binder jet 3D printing of Inconel 718: Densification,microstructural evolution and challenges☆

Traditional manufacturing of Inconel 718 components from castings and thermomechanical processing routes involve extensive post processing and machining to attain the desired geometry. Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies including direct energy deposition (DED), selective laser melting (SLM), electron beam melting (EBM) and binder jet 3D printing (BJ3DP) can minimize scrap generation and reduce lead times. While there is extensive literature on the use of melting and solidification based AM technologies, there has been limited research on the use of binder jet 3D printing. In this paper, a brief review on binder jet additive manufacturing of Inconel 718 is presented. In addition, existing knowledge on sintering of Inconel 718 has been extended to binder jet 3D printing. We found that supersolidus liquid phase sintering (SLPS) is necessary to achieve full densification of Inconel 718. SLPS is sensitive to the feedstock chemistry that has a strong influence on the liquid volume fraction at the processing temperature. Based on these results, we discuss an empirical framework to determine the role of powder particle size and liquid volume fraction on sintering kinetics. The role of powder packing factor and binder saturation on microstructural evolution is discussed. The current challenges in the use of BJ3DP for fabrication of Inconel 718, as well as, extension to other metal systems, are presented.     

Recent Advances on 3D Printing Technique for Thermal‐Related Applications

Advances in ink formulation and printing techniques make producing material systems with new and versatile characteristics and functionalities possible. Additive manufacturing or 3D printing enables fabricating complex structures at a faster production rate using different types of materials for various applications. Recently, 3D printing methods are being studied for thermal‐related applications. In this paper, the authors review recent progress of materials and printing techniques for thermal application devices using composite materials.

     

高分子基功能复合材料的熔融沉积成型研究进展

3D打印又称增材制造技术,是基于材料、机械控制、计算机软件等多学科交叉的先进制造技术,可得到传统加工不能制备的形状复杂制件.熔融沉积成型(FDM)是目前最通用的3D打印技术之一,具有设备简单、成本低、操作便捷等特点,广泛应用于航空航天、医疗、汽车工业等领域.本文介绍了国内外3D打印技术的整体布局、发展和规划,总结了常见...     

Smart polymers and nanocomposites for 3D and 4D printing

Smart materials, also known as intelligent materials, which are responsive to the external stimuli including heat, moisture, stress, pH, and magnetic fields, have found extensive applications in sensors, actuators, soft robots, medical devices and artificial muscles. Using three-dimensional (3D) printing techniques for fabrication of smart devices allows for complex designs and well-controlled manufacturing processes. 4D printing is attributed to the 3D printing of smart materials that can be significantly transformed over time. Herein the smart materials including hydrogels and polymeric nanocomposites used in 4D printing were reviewed and the fundamental mechanisms responsible for the functionalities were discussed in detail. In this report, 4D printing of smart systems and their applications in sensors, actuators and biomedical devices were reviewed to provide a deeper understanding of the current development and the future outlook.     

Recent advances in 3D printing of porous ceramics: A review

3D printing, alongside the rapidly advancing field of porous ceramics, is quickly expanding the horizon of what is going to be possible in the future. In this paper, 3D printing technology is evaluated for its compatibility with porous ceramic materials, due to its competitive process in terms of speed and specific tooling, especially for good quality fabrication. The paper reviews the capabilities of these new technology techniques for the fabrication of porous ceramic. The basic technology is the 3D printing techniques, which are used to fabricate porous green ceramic parts that are later sintered. Different ceramic materials are evaluated and the classification of different powders according to their 3D printing quality as well as material aspects is examined. The evaluation of 3D printing process in terms of the powders’ physical properties such as particle size, flowability and wettability is also discussed. The relationship between the different 3D printing parameters and the final printing outcome are assessed.     

金属3D打印技术及其专用粉末特征与应用

3D打印技术提供了一种先进的制造方法,实现了从3D计算机模型出发直接制造复杂形状的工件。其中,金属3D打印技术在生物医疗、航空航天、自动化、汽车零部件、军工等领域的有效应用得到了印证。介绍了金属3D打印技术的基本情况和金属3D打印专用金属粉末特征,简述了金属粉末的分类及应用,并对金属3D打印技术存在的问题和面临的挑战与机遇进行了分析。     

数字成像技术及其用途

本文评述了数字成像技术及其应用，包括数字成像移动打印机，数字侦察，数字移动监控系统等。     

3D Printed Graphene-Based Metamaterials: Guesting Multi-Functionality in One Gain

Advanced functional materials with fascinating properties and extended structural design have greatly broadened their applications. Metamaterials, exhibiting unprecedented physical properties (mechanical, electromagnetic, acoustic, etc.), are considered frontiers of physics, material science, and engineering. With the emerging 3D printing technology, the manufacturing of metamaterials becomes much more convenient. Graphene, due to its superior properties such as large surface area, superior electrical/thermal conductivity, and outstanding mechanical properties, shows promising applications to add multi-functionality into existing metamaterials for various applications. In this review, the aim is to outline the latest developments and applications of 3D printed graphene-based metamaterials. The structure design of different types of metamaterials and the fabrication strategies for 3D printed graphene-based materials are first reviewed. Then the representative explorations of 3D printed graphene-based metamaterials and multi-functionality that can be introduced with such a combination are further discussed. Subsequently, challenges and opportunities are provided, seeking to point out future directions of 3D printed graphene-based metamaterials.     

Characterizing the feasibility of processing wet granular materials to improve rheology for 3D printing

Rheological measurements and extrusion tests are used to evaluate the viability of high mass fraction (80% solids content) wet granular materials for extrusion-based 3D printing. Such materials have diverse applications from making dense, strong ceramic custom parts to 3D printing uniquely shaped energetic materials. Traditionally, 3D-printed colloidal materials use much lower mass fraction inks, and hence, those technologies will not work for systems requiring higher mass fraction solids content. These wet granular materials are highly non-Newtonian presenting non-homogenous flows, shear thinning, yield stress, and high elasticity. Such behaviors improve some aspects of print quality, but make printing very difficult. In this work, the relationship between the rheological behavior of wet granular materials and the processing parameters that are necessary for successfully extruding these materials for printing is examined. In the future, such characterizations will provide key indicators on how to alter printer design/operating conditions and adjust material behavior in order to improve printability. This study is a fundamental first step to successfully developing 3D printing technology of wet granular materials.     

Current status of 4D printing technology and the potential of light-reactive smart materials as 4D printable materials

The onset of multi-material 3D printing and the combination of smart materials into the printable material has led to the development of an exciting new technology called 4D printing. This paper will introduce the background and development into 4D printing, discuss water reactive 4D printing methods and temperature reactive 4D printing, modelling and simulation software, and future applications of this new technology. Smart materials that react to different external stimuli are described, along with the benefits of these smart materials and their potential use in 4D printing applications; specifically, existing light-reactive smart materials. 4D printing has the prospective to simplify the design and manufacturing of different products and the potential of automating actuation devices that naturally react to their environment without the need for human interaction, batteries, processors, sensors, and motors.     

Three-dimensional needle-punching for composites – A review

The current literature on three-dimensional (3D) needle-punched composites tends to address the aspects of preforms fabrication and composites characterization respectively. This paper aims to bring together these two aspects to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of the subject of 3D needle-punched reinforcements for composites. Consequently, this paper contains a detailed outline of the current state of 3D needle-punched technology for manufacturing advanced composite preforms. Properties of 3D needle-punched composites and some of the predictive models available for determining these properties are also reviewed. To conclude, a number of current and potential applications of 3D needle-punched preforms for engineering composites are highlighted, and issues impeding the use of 3D needle-punched composites are also summarized.     

染料热转移成像材料及其在印刷领域中的应用

本文叙述了染料热转移成像材料的类型,特点和成像原理以及它倦印刷领域中的应用,比较了熔融型和升华型材料的印刷特性的印刷质量,介绍了几种利用染料热转移的直接印刷和直接制版体系。     

Progress in 3D Printing of Carbon Materials for Energy‐Related Applications

The additive‐manufacturing (AM) technique, known as three‐dimensional (3D) printing, has attracted much attention in industry and academia in recent years. 3D printing has been developed for a variety of applications. Printable inks are the most important component for 3D printing, and are related to the materials, the printing method, and the structures of the final 3D‐printed products. Carbon materials, due to their good chemical stability and versatile nanostructure, have been widely used in 3D printing for different applications. Good inks are mainly based on volatile solutions having carbon materials as fillers such as graphene oxide (GO), carbon nanotubes (CNT), carbon blacks, and solvent, as well as polymers and other additives. Studies of carbon materials in 3D printing, especially GO‐based materials, have been extensively reported for energy‐related applications. In these circumstances, understanding the very recent developments of 3D‐printed carbon materials and their extended applications to address energy‐related challenges and bring new concepts for material designs are becoming urgent and important. Here, recent developments in 3D printing of emerging devices for energy‐related applications are reviewed, including energy‐storage applications, electronic circuits, and thermal‐energy applications at high temperature. To close, a conclusion and outlook are provided, pointing out future designs and developments of 3D‐printing technology based on carbon materials for energy‐related applications and beyond.     

3D printing in aerospace and its long-term sustainability

ABSTRACT

Astonishingly 3D printing has excited the world of aerospace. This paper takes stock of the popular 3D printing processes in aerospace. Reasons for their popularity over the traditional manufacturing processes are dwelled upon. Materials developed specially for aerospace applications along with their characteristics are discussed. Ongoing activities related to 3D printing at various companies and organisations around the world are looked into. Project works in the area of extra-terrestrial printing are also highlighted. Even though 3D printing processes are operationally simple, they do have limitations in terms of the type, quality, and quantity of the materials they can handle. This paper underlines these points while discussing drawbacks of the printed components. Challenges associated with 3D printing in microgravity are also touched upon. Finally, a glimpse is taken into the future appearance of aerospace industry with 3D printing.     

A Review on the 3D Printing of Functional Structures for Medical Phantoms and Regenerated Tissue and Organ Applications

Medical models, or “phantoms,” have been widely used for medical training and for doctor-patient interactions. They are increasingly used for surgical planning, medical computational models, algorithm verification and validation, and medical devices development. Such new applications demand high-fidelity, patient-specific, tissue-mimicking medical phantoms that can not only closely emulate the geometric structures of human organs, but also possess the properties and functions of the organ structure. With the rapid advancement of three-dimensional (3D) printing and 3D bioprinting technologies, many researchers have explored the use of these additive manufacturing techniques to fabricate functional medical phantoms for various applications. This paper reviews the applications of these 3D printing and 3D bioprinting technologies for the fabrication of functional medical phantoms and bio-structures. This review specifically discusses the state of the art along with new developments and trends in 3D printed functional medical phantoms (i.e., tissue-mimicking medical phantoms, radiologically relevant medical phantoms, and physiological medical phantoms) and 3D bio-printed structures (i.e., hybrid scaffolding materials, convertible scaffolds, and integrated sensors) for regenerated tissues and organs.     

生物医用材料的3D打印技术与发展

近年来,由于3D打印技术的迅猛发展,有关3D打印技术的应用受到科学界广泛关注,特别是生物医学领域。3D打印材料的瓶颈制约着3D打印技术的发展,特别是用于生物医学领域的打印材料,只有非常局限的几种,但是研究可打印生物医用材料意义重大,经济效益显著。简述了3D打印技术在生物医学工程上的应用。重点综述了用于3D打印的生物医用材料,主要涉及金属、陶瓷、高聚物、复合材料以及生物墨水等,并且阐述了3D打印材料的发展前景。     

月球表面3D打印技术畅想

3D打印以其施工高效、节约资源等优势,在建筑方面有广阔的发展前景。针对3D打印建设月球基地的问题,介绍了3D打印建筑、月壤材料研究及模拟月壤制备、月球基地建设环境问题和外太空3D打印等4方面内容,总结了月球土壤的基本性能和利用地球资源研制的几种模拟月壤,并梳理了零重力环境下的3D打印实验方案和月球基地的设计蓝图,最后提出了3种月壤混凝土材料的制备方案,并对月球基地的3D打印研究计划进行了展望。     

Recent Advances on High-Entropy Alloys for 3D Printing

Boosted by the success of high-entropy alloys (HEAs) manufactured by conventional processes in various applications, the development of HEAs for 3D printing has been advancing rapidly in recent years. 3D printing of HEAs gives rise to a great potential for manufacturing geometrically complex HEA products with desirable performances, thereby inspiring their increased appearance in industrial applications. Herein, a comprehensive review of the recent achievements of 3D printing of HEAs is provided, in the aspects of their powder development, printing processes, microstructures, properties, and potential applications. It begins with the introduction of the fundamentals of 3D printing and HEAs, as well as the unique properties of 3D-printed HEA products. The processes for the development of HEA powders, including atomization and mechanical alloying, and the powder properties, are then presented. Thereafter, typical processes for printing HEA products from powders, namely, directed energy deposition, selective laser melting, and electron beam melting, are discussed with regard to the phases, crystal features, mechanical properties, functionalities, and potential applications of these products (particularly in the aerospace, energy, molding, and tooling industries). Finally, perspectives are outlined to provide guidance for future research.     

Printing Polymer Nanocomposites and Composites in Three Dimensions

Recent advances in materials science and three‐dimensional (3D) printing hold great promises to conceive new classes of multifunctional materials and components for functional devices and products. Various functionalities (e.g., mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties, magnetism) can be offered by the nano‐ and micro‐reinforcements to the non‐functional pure printing materials for the realization of advanced materials and innovative systems. In addition, the ability to print 3D structures in a layer‐by‐layer manner enables manufacturing of highly‐customized complex features and allows an efficient control over the properties of fabricated structures. Here, the authors present a brief overview mainly over the latest progresses in 3D printing of multifunctional polymer nanocomposites and microfiber‐reinforced composites including the benefits, limitations, and potential applications. Only those 3D printing techniques that are compatible with polymer nanocomposites and composites, that is, materials that have already been used as printing materials, are introduced. The very hot topic of 3D printing of thermoplastic composites featuring continuous microfibers is also briefly introduced.