3D Printed Cemented Carbide Tools with Adjustable Mechanical Properties

Cemented carbide, which consists of fine particles of carbide cemented into a composite by a binder metal, is an extremely hard material frequently used in mechanical and automotive engineering and the building materials industry. Excitingly for those industries, researchers have now managed to produce 3D printed cemented carbide tools using a binder jetting 3D printing technique. According to the researchers, these 3D printed tools are of comparable quality to those produced using conventional methods, and can be made into more complex shapes.

As an expert in the field of hard metals, researcher has for decades developed ceramic carbides by means of uniaxial or cold isostatic dry pressing, extrusion and injection molding, and shape cutting. These methods were employed to produce reliable cutting, drilling, pressing, and stamping tools made of tungsten carbide. Despite the reliability of those tools, however, Fraunhofer IKTS still faced a problem when it needed to create complex geometries, such as helical or meandering cooling ducts inside a component. These features could only be implemented at a high cost, and were often discarded altogether.

By developing a 3D printed method for cemented carbide tools, which is now able to create such designs with ease. It is known that through resource-saving and tool-free 3D printing, even complex, individualized ceramic geometries can be realized quickly.

The particular 3D printing method used by the researchers are form of binder jetting. During this process, powders or granules of a ceramic hard material, such as cemented carbide tools, are deposited layer by layer and wetted by the print head using a binding material made of cobalt and nickel or iron. This binding material acts as an adhesive between the layers of powder. The researchers aimed to get produce entirely dense components with good mechanical properties, and were even able to selectively adjust the flexural strength, toughness, and hardness of the 3D printed parts by varying the proportion of binder in the carbide: the lower the proportion of binder, the harder the component.

The prototypes manufactured have a binder content of twelve and seventeen percent by weight, and show a structure comparable to conventionally manufactured tools. Through the use of 3D printed for the production of complex green bodies and subsequent sintering under conventional sintering conditions, they achieve components with a typical carbide structure at one hundred percent density. Moreover, it is possible to set a homogeneous cobalt distribution achieving a comparable quality to conventionally produced high-performance tools. 3D printed cemented carbide tools will present at the World Congress & Exhibition.

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Putin Orders the Resumption of Tungsten Production

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Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has issued an order for the resumption of tungsten production in Russia, with the aim to ensure its regular supplies for the needs of the domestic industrial production.

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How Will Trump’s Taking Office Affect Sino-US Relationship

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As a successful business man without political experience, Trump’s taking office is sure to be a fresh new look to America and will affect the world politics and economy in a new era.

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Global Tungsten Carbide Market: Regional Outlook, Analysis, Size, Share, Forecast

Global Tungsten Carbide Market Research Report

The MRS research group tungsten carbide market report by QY Research represents an inclusive evaluation of the tungsten carbide market and comprises considerable insights, historical data, facts, and statistical and industry-validated data of the global market. Additionally, it consists of estimated data that is evaluated with the help of suitable set of methodologies and assumptions. The MRS Research Group report by QY Research highlights informative data and in-depth analysis of tungsten carbide market and its corresponding segments that are based on technology, geography, and applications.

The report comprises precise information, comprehensive analysis in two ways—qualitative and quantitative—industry experts’ inputs, and information provided by industry analysts and industry participants involved in the entire value chain. The report highlights exhaustive study of major market and their present trends, along with corresponding market segments. The tungsten carbide market report also provides data regarding various market factors and their impact on the overall market and its segments.This tungsten carbide report is an in-depth market research report in this domain.The report focuses on regional as well as global market, its key players, along with market segments including detailed study on various divisions and its applications. The report provides comprehensive information on each and every segment covered of the tungsten carbide market.The research report analyzes the scope of tungsten carbide market industry including size, share, analysis, sales, supply, production, definition, specification, classification, demands, application, forecast trends, industry policy, and news.

Further, the examination on value chain of tungsten carbide market is also provided which covers the growth factors and restraints of the industry along with the key market competitors.Furthermore, The report evaluated major market points such as production, revenue, capacity utilization rate, gross, price, capacity, gross margin, supply, cost, demand, export, consumption, import, growth rate, market share, and so on.The Tungsten Carbide report is a helpful source which assists manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, customers, and individuals and investors who have interest in this market.

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Tungsten Outlook 2017: Price on the Rise

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The tungsten market started off with low prices at the beginning of 2016, a theme that seemed consistent throughout most of the year. Tungsten’s price has remained below $200 MTU, and it appears as though it’s been that way through to December.

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