Fabrication of Cu-Infiltrated Journal Bearing by Binder Jetting Additive Manufacturing

In this study, considering the economic feasibility of products that can be produced through the binder jetting additive manufacturing process, 316L stainless steel, a widely used material with a wide particle size ranging from 15 to 106 μm, was used. The lubrication effect was increased by internal patterning through design for additive manufacturing, and journal bearing parts with excellent load resistance and wear resistance were implemented by using wear-resistant Cu as an infiltration material. In addition, to investigate the amount of Cu infiltrated as a function of porosity, the parts were pre-sintered from 1423 K to 1573 K, and the best performance was obtained when Cu was infiltrated after pre-sintering at 1473 K. As a result of rig testing of Cu-infiltrated journal bearings, mechanical properties were obtained that were more than 50% improved compared to those of mass products.