Abstract
A new powder based additive manufacturing (AM) technique based on the principles of electrophotography, called three dimensional xerography (3DX), is described. According to the principles of this process, 3D objects are built layer by layer by selectively binding loose powder together using a binder powder. The transport and deposition of the binder powder are achieved through the use of electric fields akin to that used in electrophotography printing. The new method differs from an existing technique proposed by the University of Florida in that binder powder is transferred onto the powder bed by electrostatic repulsion whereas the latter uses electrostatic attraction which necessitate generating increasing levels of potential difference across the printer and the build platform as the height of the 3D part increases. A simple experiment, using mostly manual steps, was designed and in the process of being constructed as a platform to investigate the viability of the new technique.