3D printing of polymer-bonded anisotropic magnets in an external magnetic field and by a modified production process

The possibility of producing polymer-bonded magnets with the aid of additive processes, such as 3D printing, opens up a multitude of new areas of application. Almost any structures and prototypes can be produced cost-effectively in small quantities. Extending the 3D printing process allows the manufacturing of anisotropic magnetic structures by aligning the magnetic easy axis of ferromagnetic particles inside a paste-like compound material along an external magnetic field. This is achieved by two different approaches. First, the magnetic field for aligning the particles is provided by a permanent magnet. Second, the 3D printing process itself generates an anisotropic behavior of the structures. An inexpensive and customizable end-user fused filament fabrication 3D printer is used to print magnetic samples. The magnetic properties of different magnetic anisotropic Sr ferrite and SmFeN materials are investigated and discussed.The possibility of producing polymer-bonded magnets with the aid of additive processes, such as 3D printing, opens up a multitude of new areas of application. Almost any structures and prototypes can be produced cost-effectively in small quantities. Extending the 3D printing process allows the manufacturing of anisotropic magnetic structures by aligning the magnetic easy axis of ferromagnetic particles inside a paste-like compound material along an external magnetic field. This is achieved by two different approaches. First, the magnetic field for aligning the particles is provided by a permanent magnet. Second, the 3D printing process itself generates an anisotropic behavior of the structures. An inexpensive and customizable end-user fused filament fabrication 3D printer is used to print magnetic samples. The magnetic properties of different magnetic anisotropic Sr ferrite and SmFeN materials are investigated and discussed.