• additive manufacturing
• electric propulsion
• hall thruster
• magnetic shielding
• metal alloys sintering
• plasma physics
• rocket propulsion
• soft magnetic alloys

Hall thrusters, with their low wet mass and long service life, represent an excellent solution for the propulsion systems of the next generation of Earth-orbiting and deep-space satellites. Since their development requires extensive experimentation, additive manufacturing of their components could accelerate the overall design process. This work investigated the feasibility of producing the magnetic circuit of such propulsion devices, a key component whose design determines their performance and durability, using material extrusion additive manufacturing. The first step was the development of an optimization algorithm for the circuit's design, aiming to obtain a magnetic field topology that guarantees the establishment of the required performance and the so-called magnetic shielding. Soft iron was chosen, given the part to be developed, and two types of feedstocks were used. The binder removal techniques were thermal and chemical, while the sintering was performed in vacuum, inert gas, and reducing gas environments at various temperatures. The obtained material characteristics were used as input for the previously introduced simulation and design algorithm. Manufactured specimens showed magnetic performance similar to that of conventionally machined samples. Simulations also showed that the magnetic topology of a magnetic circuit made of the materials produced could be suitable for laboratory model fabrication.