Desktop Metal, Uniformity Labs Collaborate on Low-Porosity Binder Jetting Powders

Desktop Metal and Uniformity Labs have collaborated on the qualification and delivery of ultralow-porosity binder jetting powders that are said to exhibit exceptional sintered part density and mechanical properties when paired with Desktop Metal’s AM 2.0 binder jetting solutions.

Uniformity Labs says it has developed patented materials technology that enables powders with tap densities up to 85% which sinter to full density and are significantly more flowable than powders of comparable size. These materials are said to have the ability to repeatably spread uniformly across the print bed at the highest relative density, thereby delivering the highest attainable sintered part density with the lowest achievable part shrink in binder jetting. The result is extraordinarily high-precision parts exhibiting excellent material properties and surface finish, the company says.

The partnership goal is to leverage Desktop Metal’s high-speed binder jetting systems and processes with Uniformity Labs’ capabilities in metal powder processing to create integrated solutions that make it easier for businesses to adopt binder jetting to produce end-use metal parts at scale. This collaboration is focused on qualifying optimized binder jetting powders exclusively for Desktop Metal solutions, including the Production System, Shop System and ExOne print platforms.

Together, the companies say they are studying powder and binder interactions, and will release print profiles with fully characterized mechanical properties for various materials, including stainless steels, nickel-based superalloys and reactive metals such as aluminum.

To accelerate materials qualification and enhance collaboration between the companies, Uniformity Labs has installed several Desktop Metal systems at its facilities in Fremont, California, including a Shop System and a Production System P-1. Uniformity Labs’ topologically engineered powders for Desktop Metal’s Production System and ExOne platforms will be available directly through Uniformity Labs.