Additive manufacturing techniques for WC-Co cemented carbides: Principle, progress, and perspective

Additive manufacturing (AM) technology has emerged as a viable solution for manufacturing complex- shaped WC-Co cemented carbide products, thereby expanding their applications in industries such as resource mining, equipment manufacturing, and electronic information. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the progress of AM technology in WC-Co cemented carbides. The fundamental principles and classification of AM techniques are introduced, followed by a categorization and evaluation of the AM techniques for WC-Co cemented carbides. These techniques are classified as either direct AM technology (DAM) or indirect AM technology (IDAM), depending on their inclusion of post-processes like de-binding and sintering. Through an analysis of microstructure features, the most suitable AM route for WC-Co cemented carbide products with controllable microstructure is identified as the indirect AM technology, such as binder jet printing (BJP), which integrates AM with conventional powder metallurgy.