Unveiling Sustainable Manufacturing: Binder Jetting’s Remarkable Results

Flam3D member Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA), a global advocacy group dedicated to promoting sustainable practices within Additive Manufacturing, has released the preliminary results of a two-year study they commissioned in 2021. It involves a life cycle analysis “Comparative Life-Cycle Assessment: Comparison of Casting vs Binder Jetting for an Industrial Part.” Since Flam3D believes that spreading information about sustainability to the global AM community is an important step it can take as an organization to contribute to sustainability, we don’t want to withhold the study and its preliminary results from you:

The research entitled “Comparative Life-Cycle Assessment: Comparison of Casting vs Binder Jetting for an Industrial Part,” commissioned by AMGTA and conducted by the Yale School of the Environment (YSE) in collaboration with Desktop Metal and Trane Technologies, focused on a steel scroll chiller in an HVAC system. The goal? To compare the production impact of Binder Jetting versus traditional metal casting.

Preliminary findings showed a significant 38% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions due to the Binder Jetting 3D printing process compared to traditional metal casting. This is largely attributed to the reduced energy consumption during production. These findings provide an important insight into the potential environmental benefits of Binder Jetting, remove uncertainty about the life-cycle emissions of this case and offer a more sustainable alternative among manufacturing methods.

Other important results include:

• Clear importance of energy mix;
• Negligible value of redesign for “lightweighting” in this particular case;
• Impact of source powder production plays no significant role on total GHG emissions;
• Binder Jetting yielded a more sustainable part.

For those curious about more in-depth details on how Binder Jetting compares to traditional methods, the full article is available on the Bussinesswire website. Read about the details of the study, discover the importance of energy mix and dive into the nuances about the impact of production on greenhouse gas emissions, providing insight into a greener future for AM.

The full results of the study are expected to be published in early 2024 following a peer review process. Further, AMGTA expects to publish additional independent research during 2023.

Source:

AMGTA. (2023, Augustus 1). New Research from AMGTA Demonstrates Sustainable Benefits of Binder Jet 3D Printing. Opgehaald van Bussinesswire: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230728084474/en/New-Research-from-AMGTA-Demonstrates-Sustainable-Benefits-of-Binder-Jet-3D-Printing?_gl=1*73b9s*_ga*MTQzMDQ5ODY3OC4xNjg3MjA3NjY0*_ga_ZQWF70T3FK*MTY5MDg5MDA5OS4yMS4xLjE2OTA4OTExODguMjYuMC4w