Abstract
Additive manufacturing (AM) alternative technologies, including Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), offer the possibility to produce both prototypes and low-volume production metallic components. This is the first time that AISI M2 high-speed steel powder is processed by FFF, achieving near full density in a complementary way to Powder Injection moulding (PIM), yet reducing the investment cost and the lead time. A completely optimized FFF process is presented: from the design of a printable highly filled metallic filament that can be fed into conventional 3D printers, to high-quality green parts that are properly debound and sintered. The final specimens (99.6% densified) are thermally treated (one quenching and two tempering) and, then, evaluated in terms of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and mechanical characterization (hardness and wear resistance). The effect of the processing technology and the heat treatments are discussed, validating the feasibility of FFF to develop customized high-speed tools with superb performance at a competitive cost.
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