This thesis focuses on the study of thermal wick debinding applied to parts produced by lowpressure powder injection molding (LPIM). The main objective is to develop a numerical model capable of simulating the evolution of binder saturation during thermal extraction, while accounting for the physical properties of the materials involved.
The injected feedstock consists of 60 vol.% of 17-4PH stainless steel powder and a binder system based on paraffin wax. This binder formulation includes 1 vol.% stearic acid (surfactant), 2 vol.% ethylene-vinyl acetate (thickening agent), and 7 vol.% carnauba wax (shrinkage control agent), with the remainder being paraffin wax. This composition ensures adequate flowability for mold filling.
Thermal wick debinding was carried out in a forced convection furnace at temperatures of 75, 90, and 100 °C, with holding times ranging from 1 to 5 hours. The wicking medium used was a compacted alumina powder, placed in contact with the parts to initiate capillary-driven binder extraction.
A numerical model was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics to simulate liquid binder transport through the porous network of the molded parts. The permeability and porosity of the materials, including the wicking medium, were determined using image analysis performed with Fiji ImageJ. The simulation results were compared with experimental observations to validate the proposed model.
| Date | 25 Jul 2025 |
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| Original language | French |
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| Awarding Institution | - École de technologie supérieure
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| Supervisor | Vincent Demers (Supervisor) |
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Turki, M. A. (Author),
Demers (Supervisor),
25 Jul 2025Student thesis: Master's thesis › Master in Engineering: Mechanical Engineering