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Whitepaper Details Metal-Powder-Feedstock Factors That Directly Influence Metal AM

November 27, 2020

Equispheres has released a whitepaper, The Problem with Additive Metal Manufacturing, that details results from ongoing studies regarding the importance of feedstock powder properties with respect to metal additive manufacturing (AM) mechanical performance and speed of production. The whitepaper outlines nine measurable factors that directly influence metal additive manufacturing printing speed, part strength, reliability, consistency and overall end part quality. Data points are provided for all variables for comparison.

“The AM industry long has understood that certain bulk characteristics of the feedstock powder, such as flowability and packing density, have an impact on the mechanical performance of the printed part,” says Doug Brouse, vice president of strategic partnerships at Equispheres, a materials science company focused on AM and cold-spray applications. “But what has not been clear is how much these bulk features matter, and precisely what specific powder particle properties are required to achieve them.”

Explaining further, “the properties of the individual powder particles are the key to success, and a highly controlled atomization process is mandatory to achieve the desired results”, says Dr. Martin Conlon, Equispheres chief technology officer. “Chaotic gas atomization simply cannot deliver the quality feedstock necessary for superior print performance and speed that is being demanded by the industry.”

See also: Equispheres