316L stainless steel is a widely used metal material known for its corrosion resistance, low carbon content, balanced mechanical properties, and excellent biocompatibility. It is commonly applied in food-processing equipment, medical devices, marine engineering, chemical equipment, and architectural components.

Traditional manufacturing methods for 316L—such as forging, machining, and molding—face inherent limitations. Complex geometries are often impossible to form, material waste is significant, small-batch runs are economically inefficient, and high-temperature processing can introduce residual stress and deformation.

Binder Jetting (BJ), as a new generation of metal additive manufacturing, addresses these challenges. It enables the production of complex geometries, improves material utilization, reduces small-batch manufacturing costs, and enhances overall productivity. With proper debinding and sintering, the mechanical and physical properties of BJ-printed 316L can be precisely tuned to meet various application requirements.

DEW has established a stable and industrial-ready BJ manufacturing route for 316L. Key performance characteristics include:

1. Composition Control

Critical alloy constituents remain tightly controlled to ensure corrosion resistance:

• C ≤ 0.03%

• Cr 16.0–18.0%

• Ni 10.0–14.0%

• Mo 2.0–3.0%

• Fe balance

2. Mechanical Properties (As-Sintered)

Using DEW’s optimized debinding–sintering process, BJ-printed 316L achieves:

• Ultimate tensile strength: 550 MPa

• Yield strength: 220 MPa

• Elongation: 65%

• Hardness: HRB 65

• Relative density: ≥ 99.5%

These values meet or exceed requirements for structural, medical, and sealing applications.

3. Dimensional Accuracy & Surface Quality

BJ requires no support structures, enabling stable and predictable dimensional performance:

• Dimensional tolerance (for parts <100 mm): ±0.03–±0.1 mm

• As-printed surface roughness (Ra): ≤ 4.8 μm

• Post-sintering blasted surface (Ra): ≤ 2 μm

The material can be polished to a high finish, allowing many medical and fluid-handling applications to meet sealing and precision requirements without extensive post-processing.

In addition to 316L, DEW offers Binder Jetting solutions for pure copper, 17-4PH stainless steel, SiC, and other material systems. We provide end-to-end solutions—from research and prototyping to pilot runs and mass-production deployment. DEW also supports customers in exploring alternative material pathways tailored to specific product requirements.

DEW will continue pushing Binder Jetting toward full industrial maturity, helping enterprises build next-generation intelligent manufacturing capacity and achieve higher efficiency, better performance, and sustainable production.

DEW, Driving 3D Efficiency Worldwide.