Binder jetting 3D printing: companies, research and applications

Companies active in binder jetting include Desktop Metal, ExOne, voxeljet, HP, Continuum Powders and INDO-MIM. ExOne and voxeljet were brought together under ExOne Global Holdings, while Continuum Powders has worked with HP and INDO-MIM on powder qualification. Desktop Metal entered bankruptcy proceedings in 2025, making installed-system support and ownership changes relevant considerations for customers.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Hefei University of Technology are prominent research contributors in the available data. Their work spans metal and ceramic feedstocks, sintering, powder spreading and interlayer defects. Other active groups include the University of Pittsburgh, South China University of Technology and Polytechnic University of Milan.

Funding indicators list $7,692,701 in grants across 23 grants since 2020 and $2,023,128,336 across 9 funding rounds. These totals should be read cautiously: the listed rounds include large manufacturing and infrastructure financings, not all clearly dedicated to binder jetting. The figures therefore describe associated funding activity, rather than a confirmed total invested solely in the technology.

Pratt & Whitney Canada leads the listed patent holders with 5 patents in the data. General Electric, Ricoh Company, Arizona Board Of Regents On Behalf Of Arizona State University and Topgolf Callaway Brands Corporation each have 3. The list also includes Linde Group, Polytechnic University of Milan and Tata Consultancy Services Ltd.

No: patent activity is down 42.6% in the last 12 months compared with the previous 12 months, while publications grew 8.2% over the same comparison. The data lists 85 patents in the 24-month window. This contrast suggests research activity remains active even as patent filings have declined; it does not by itself establish a change in commercial adoption.

Recent developments include layer-resolved fringe-projection measurement reported by the University of Pittsburgh in September 2026 and shell printing research at Hefei University of Technology, also published in September 2026. In October 2026, ExOne and voxeljet highlighted machine uptime and customer confidence. Together, the work addresses process visibility, fine-powder defects and the industrial support needed to operate installed systems.

The main approaches are sintered metal parts, infiltrated metal parts, foundry sand, technical ceramics, and glass and mineral powders. Metal and ceramic routes rely on post-processing such as sintering or infiltration, which can improve part properties but requires control of shrinkage, porosity and defects. Sand printing focuses on molds and cores, while glass and mineral powders offer routes to architectural products.

Applications include aerospace and defense, medical and dental, automotive and machinery, foundry casting, consumer products, and construction and architecture. The data lists 112 documents for aerospace and defense and 108 for medical and dental. Recent work also examines titanium alloys, ceramic components and recycled-glass building materials, reflecting the range of feedstocks and part requirements.

The United States leads the country data with 4,086 documents, followed by Germany with 1,602 and the United Kingdom with 1,127. China and Japan also have substantial activity, with 651 and 642 documents respectively. These country figures overlap across affiliations and should be read as indicators of research and industry activity, not exclusive national totals.