In a project co-funded by Ford Motor Company and the ExOne Company, a team of engineers, material scientists and manufacturing experts developed a patent-pending process for rapid and reliable binder-jet 3D printing and sintering of aluminum that delivers properties comparable to die casting. Collaborative and individual patents are expected to be filed by Ford and ExOne as a result of this ongoing project. Some aluminum alloys can be 3D printed today using lasers, but the process is much slower than the one developed by Ford and ExOne. The new process is expected to increase Ford’s efficiency by allowing the company to affordably produce complex parts uniquely designed for additive manufacturing, which enables size and weight reductions, part consolidation and performance improvements.

According to ExOne, developing a fast, affordable and easy way to 3D print aluminum with traditional material properties is a critical step toward lightweighting more products and delivering a more sustainable future. The Ford-ExOne joint-development project was first initiated in 2019. Ford has led the final material and repeatability testing to verify its accuracy. The cross-functional Ford-ExOne team is actively working on designs to use the new material and process.

Binder jetting is widely regarded as the fastest method of metal 3D printing for high-volume output. It uses a digital file to quickly inkjet a binder into a bed of powder particles such as metal, sand or ceramic to create a solid part one thin layer at a time. When printing metals, the final bound metal part must be sintered in a furnace to fuse the particles together into a solid object. The heating process reinforces the strength and integrity of the metal. While the process for sintering stainless steel is well understood, achieving high densities greater than 99% is an industry breakthrough for aluminum.