Unlocking the alchemy: an analysis of stainless steel creation via fused filament, de-binding and sintering

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Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) is valued for producing metal, plastic, ceramic and composite parts efficiently and rapidly, without material waste or moulds. In this study, 316L stainless steel parts were fabricated using FDM technology with UltraFuse 316L metal filaments. The process began by loading the filament into a 3D printer to create green parts, followed by thermal de-binding and sintering. Thermal de-binding treatment was maximised by carefully controlling key variables such as heating rate, holding time and temperature to ensure that binders would be removed without creating flaws in the elements. Sintering followed debinding to ensure proper mechanical properties. The produced sintered samples achieved high performing results by reaching 570 MPa in tensile strength, 189 hV in hardness together with 7410 kg/m3 in density. Optimal post-processing of FDM parts yields strong metal components, offering a practical and eco-friendly alternative to traditional manufacturing.