Material extrusion (MEX) allows for the production of advanced cutting tools with new internal cooling systems, which are suitable for new machining equipment. To produce cutting tools via this process, hardmetal and cermet feedstock must be prepared for the extrusion of 3D printing filaments. After shaping the 3D object (green), debinding and sintering must be performed to achieve densification. Defects and microstructural heterogeneities were studied according to the powder material. The present study shows that, although MEX is a viable solution for hardmetals, it needs to produce homogeneous filaments for cermets. The WC-Co bulk microstructures versus hardness were similar to the ones that were measured with pressing and sintering. While cermet (Ti(CN)/WC-Ni/Co) microstructures were heterogeneous, their hardness, when compared with that from the pressing and sintering manufacturing process, decreased significantly.

Reducing structural mass and volume is critical to improving efficiency and payload capacity in next-generation small satellites and CubeSats. Additive manufacturing, particularly material extrusion, offers design flexibility and enables the production of lightweight, functional metallic components. This study investigates the integration of nickel–titanium shape memory alloy wires into aluminum-based matrices using a sinter-based material extrusion process, aiming to develop compact actuator systems for aerospace applications. A customized AlSi7Mg aluminum alloy feedstock was extruded into filament form, printed, and embedded with shape memory alloy wires, allowing consolidation during sintering. X-ray micro-computed tomography was used to analyze internal defects and matrix–wire interfacial contact, before and after sintering. Tensile testing of the embedded actuator structures revealed effective mechanical bonding and actuation behavior. The results demonstrate that controlled shrinkage and interfacial bonding enable reliable embedding of shape memory elements without compromising structural integrity. This work provides a promising framework for developing multifunctional aerospace components, where active actuation and structural efficiency can be combined through advanced material extrusion-based manufacturing.

Harder, better, faster, and stronger are requisites that are constantly being craved by manufacturing industries to match the ever-challenging productivity of new materials, geometries, and production cycles

Tungsten carbide and cobalt cutting tools require low surface roughness to improve cutting performance by reducing the wear from machining friction. While this is achieved by conventional manufacturing processes (pressing and sintering, grinding), with additive manufacturing processes it is more difficult (layer height, printing strategy). Since less costly and more sustainable solutions (without lubricants) are being studied as alternatives to conventional processes, a complementary technology (laser ablation) is suggested for the additive manufacturing of green WC-10Co. In this study, material extrusion (MEX) was used to produce green WC-10Co 3D objects, followed by laser ablation (50 W ytterbium fiber laser, 800–1100 nm wavelength) on their surface. Different laser strategies and parameters (power, speed, frequency, distance between lines, number of passages) were tested to find the most suitable. Most combinations were excluded by initial visual inspection, while the best ones were measured with a contact and non-contact profilometer. Further analysis was made on the composition and microstructure (with techniques such as Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, x-ray diffraction, and hardness indentation) to study what the interaction with the laser changed on the surface. Results show that with a combination of 50 W laser power, 1000 mm/s laser speed, 2000 kHz laser frequency, 0.1 mm distance between lines and three laser passages, it was possible to achieve a surface roughness of 0.6 µm (Sa) for the sintered WC-10Co, produced by MEX. No η-phase and graphite were detected, as well as microporosity and fissures.