engineering

Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing

Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing is a engineering topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing rather than just read about it. In short: Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing (EAM) represents one of the seven categories of 3D printing processes, defined by the ISO international standard 17296-2. While it is mostly used for plastics, under the name of FDM or FFF, it can also be used for metals and ceramics.

Key takeaways

Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing belongs to engineering; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing (EAM) represents one of the seven categories of 3D printing processes, defined by the ISO international standard 17296-2. While it is mostly used for plastics, under the name of FDM or FFF, it can also be used for metals and ceramics. In this additive manufacturing process category, the feedstock materials are mixtures of a polymeric binder (from 40% to 60% by volume) and a fine grain solid powder of metal or ceramic materials. Similar type of feedstock is also used in the metal injection molding (MIM) and in the ceramic injection molding (CIM) processes. The extruder pushes the material towards a heated nozzle thanks to

the controlled axial movement of a piston inside a heated barrel, or the controlled axial rotation of a screw inside a heated barrel, or the controlled rotation of two feeding rollers.

Process of creating EAM metal parts The process for creating material extruded metal parts typically involves several stages, transforming them from plastic/metal composites to fully metal parts.

Printing: The process begins with printing the part using a filament containing metal powder bound in plastic. This filament, similar to that used in conventional FFF printers, is infused with metal. The printer deposits the metal-infused filament layer by layer, building up the shape of the part. These printed parts are referred to as "green" parts. To compensate for predictable shrinkage during the subsequent sintering process, the green parts are scaled up by 15-20% from their final dimensions. Debinding: After printing, the green parts are placed in a debinding station. In this step, an organic solvent dissolves most of the plastic binding material. Consequently, the green parts transition into "brown" parts. The debinding process eliminates excess plastic, leaving behind a structure of metal powder. Sintering: The brown parts, now washed, are transferred to a sintering furnace. This furnace adheres to a material-specific profile, depending on the material used. Initially, it burns away any remaining binder. Subsequently, it consolidates the metal powder, transforming it into a fully dense, finished metal part. The sintering process is integral as it ensures that the part attains its required mechanical properties. Use: At this stage, the part becomes a fully metal component, ready for use.

History

R&D developments In 1995, the Fraunhofer IFAM designed a Rapid Prototyping system, starting from a powder‐binder mixture which is squeezed out through a computer‐controlled nozzle. Parts are manufactured layer by layer and the “green parts” are debinded and sintered to reach their final density; IFAM restarted this line of research in 2017; In 1998, the concept of hybrid, additive/subtractive Shape Deposition Manufacturing for ceramics was proposed and tested at Carnegie Mellon University In year 2000, a system was developed at Rutgers University for the solid freeform fabrication of multiple ceramic actuators and sensors, starting from green ceramic filaments In 2005, a system was development at the Drexel University, based on material extrusion, consisting of a mini-extruder with a single screw mounted on a high-precision positioning system, fed with bulk material in granulated form (pellets); In 2015, a 3d printing machine was developed at Politecnico di Milano for MIM metals and CIM ceramics, based on extrusion of pellets with a stationary piston-based extruder over a reversed Delta Robot table; In 2016, developments in multi-material printing have enabled material extrusion printers to utilize ceramic-based support materials, designed for easy removal. This advancement significantly facilitates the creation of complex geometries, as the support material can be effortlessly broken off after printing. A notable example is Desktop Metal’s machine, which employs a ceramic interface layer on all support structures. This feature ensures that the supports can be snapped off with minimal effort, enhancing the overall efficiency and precision of the printing process. In the past few years, advances in material science and the expansion of material extrusion systems at companies like Markforged, Desktop Metal, and ALM3d have expanded the range of materials suitable for material extrusion printers. Some of these materials include: Stainless Steel, Low-Alloy Steel, Tool Steel, Aluminum 6061, Bronze, Chromium Zirconium Copper, Cobalt Chrome, or even gold.

Commercial developments After year 2015, some commercial providers of the technology have started proposing their product, mostly for metal applications, e.g.:

Metal X by Markforged, Studio System by Desktop Metal, ExAM by AIM3d.

Reference List

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In engineering, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing

In research: Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing appears in engineering research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 3D printing, 3D printing processes, Extrusion, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing in simple terms?

Why does Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing matter?

Because it connects several engineering ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Material extrusion-based additive manufacturing.