A Technology Assessment Of Sinter Based AM Process (g-MEX) Of A Maraging Steel

Additive manufacturing (AM) encompasses various techniques, one of which is material extrusion (MEX). When the material used is in granular form, it is referred to as g-MEX, which stands out for its versatility and cost-effectiveness in fabricating complex metallic components. A comprehensive analysis was conducted across all stages—pre-printing, printing, and post-processing. Preliminary characterizations, such as metal powder granulometry, rheology, thermogravimetry, optimization of binder system components, as well as printing parameters and final stages like debinding and sintering were examined. The goal was to achieve fully dense metallic parts, monitoring quality parameters such as final density, dimensional shrinkage, mechanical properties, among others. This research aims to clarify how preliminary characterization is key to a successful printing stage, highlighting its predictive power and potential application when using other metallic materials depending on the required application.