---
title: "Metal Binder Jetting Service | Sintered Metal Parts | OpenSpindle"
description: "Get quotes for metal binder jetting from qualified manufacturing partners. Binder jetting and sintering for stainless and other metals, with lower cost and higher throughput than laser powder-bed fusion for mid-volume metal parts."
canonical: https://openspindle.com/capabilities/metal-binder-jetting
---

# Get quotes for binder jet metal parts

An inkjet head selectively binds metal powder layer by layer into a green part, which is then sintered in a furnace to near-full density. There is no laser and no support structures, and many parts sinter together in one batch, which makes binder jetting a lower-cost route to mid-volume metal parts than laser powder-bed fusion. Upload your model and we'll source competitive quotes from qualified manufacturing partners.

## How to design for Metal Binder Jetting

Binder jetting prints an oversized green part on purpose. Design around the sinter shrinkage and the density you actually need.

| Design rule | Typical spec | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sinter shrinkage | ~15-20% linear | The furnace densifies the part; the shop scales the print to compensate. |
| Min wall thickness | 1.0 to 2.0 mm | Thinner walls are fragile in the green state and can distort during sintering. |
| Typical tolerance | +/- 0.2 mm or +/- 1-2%, whichever is greater | Shrinkage compensation is a model, not a guarantee; tight features may need a machining pass. |
| Min feature size | 0.5 to 0.8 mm | Fine detail below the powder and droplet size does not resolve reliably. |
| Density after sintering | ~97%+ of wrought | Slightly below the ~99%+ that laser powder-bed fusion reaches as-built; hot isostatic pressing can close the remaining porosity when full density is required. |
| Max part size | bounded by the furnace, not the printer | The green part prints larger than the printer bed implies once shrinkage is unwound; the sintering furnace sets the real ceiling. |

Typical values vary by machine, binder system, and metal powder; a shop confirms shrinkage and tolerance against its own sinter profile.

## Binder jetting vs other metal processes

When another metal process fits better than binder jetting.

| Process | Best for | Typical volume | Choose it over Metal Binder Jetting when |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Metal 3D Printing (DMLS/SLM)](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/metal-3d-printing.md) | Fully dense end-use parts, fine features | Prototype to low volume | You need maximum density and strength, tighter as-built tolerance, or geometry like internal channels that binder jetting cannot resolve. |
| Metal Injection Molding | Very high volume, small metal parts | 10,000+ | You are past the volume where a mold pays for itself and the part is small enough for MIM tooling. |
| [CNC Machining](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/cnc-machining.md) | Tightest tolerance, wrought material properties | Prototype to production | You need machined-grade tolerance or the mechanical properties of wrought stock rather than a sintered structure. |

## Industries Served

- Industrial / OEM
- Automotive
- Consumer products
- Energy & oil/gas
- Aerospace & defense

Binder jetting suits teams that need batches of metal parts fast, without paying for laser powder-bed time or hard tooling.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is metal binder jetting?

Metal binder jetting prints a liquid binder onto a bed of metal powder, layer by layer, to build a green part with no melting. The green part is depowdered, then sintered in a furnace, where heat fuses the metal particles and shrinks the part to near-full density.

### Binder jetting vs DMLS/SLM: which should I use?

Binder jetting is faster and cheaper per part in a batch because there is no laser scanning powder point by point and no support structures to remove. DMLS/SLM reaches higher density and tighter as-built tolerance, so it wins when you need maximum strength, fine internal features, or a smaller run.

### What metals can be binder jet?

Stainless steels such as 316L and 17-4 PH are the most common, alongside carbon steel, tool steel, and some copper and Inconel systems. Availability depends on the shop and its sintering furnace, so confirm the alloy before quoting.

### How much shrinkage happens during sintering?

Metal binder jetting parts typically shrink around 15-20% linearly during sintering as the powder densifies. Shops print the green part oversized using a shrinkage model calibrated to the material and geometry, then verify critical dimensions after the sinter cycle.

### What density and strength does binder jetting reach?

Sintered parts commonly reach around 97% or more of the density of wrought metal, which supports solid mechanical performance for structural and functional parts. It typically falls short of the near-100% density that laser powder-bed fusion or hot isostatic pressing can reach, so critical load-bearing features may still call for machining or a denser process.

## Other Capabilities

- [Metal 3D Printing](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/metal-3d-printing.md)
- [3D Printing (overview)](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/3d-printing.md)
- [CNC Machining](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/cnc-machining.md)
- [Injection Molding](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/injection-molding.md)

## Get metal binder jetting quotes

Upload a model and we'll source quotes from qualified manufacturing partners running metal binder jetting and sintering.