BMD - Bound Metal Deposition
Instead of laser sintering, Bound Metal Deposition uses extrusion technology which produces parts layer by layer to produce accurate and repeatable physical parts right in an office-friendly environment at high speed and low cost.
The Process:
Unlike laser-based systems that melt metal powder selectively, Bound Metal Deposition extrudes bound metal rods and is similar to how Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) printers work.
Bound Metal Deposition works by first extruding rods of bound metal to form “green” parts layer by layer. The parts are then immersed in proprietary debinding fluid from Desktop Metal in the debinder. The primary binder is then dissolved and removed to create an open-structure throughout before sintering them in a cloud-connected sintering furnace.
Customisable temperature profiles are then applied to heat parts to just below their melting points, where the fusing of metal particles leave strengthened parts behind without any traces of residual stress.
The system works with a wide range of high-quality core alloys that are essential to 3D printing. A total of 7 alloys are available in the market now, with more than 31 still under development.