The importance of powder quality in additive manufacturing

.Firstly, it is important to establish just how additive manufacturing works

Typically, it involves 3D modeling software, along with the layering material, such as a powder. The software is used to produce a computer aided design, or CAD, from which the AM equipment reads, allowing it to lay down the powder

Additional layers of the powder are then introduced ,added in a layer by-layer fashion to build up the 3D object

.The powders used are predominantly metal alloys that are combined with heat-delivered via laser-to fuse the powders into a solid from

.Other additives may also be used, helping to catalyze The formation of the process and alter the properties of the finished product

Powders have to be used because it is not possible to spray a molten metal accurately .Additive manufacturing powders are said to offer a range of benefits over current methods of Manufacturing metals, such as forging or casting from e metal stock

these techniques can limit The potential shapes and structures that can be produced because of the physical restrictions imposed by the moulds.3D printing of either plastics or metals may largely remove these constraints as the structure is built up in layers, enabling an increase  in the range and complexity of the items that can be produced

The quality of the powders used in additive manufacturing is incredibly important because these powders will impact on the physical properties of the finished product. for instance, the powder will play a crucial role in shaping the products tensile strength/brittleness, impact resistance, heat tolerance and resistance to corrosion

As the process requires the combination of multiple powders, a precise understanding of the chemical composition of the finished product is required. the carbon, sulphur, oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen composition will impact on the physical properties of the final product-importantly, however

some of these elements may be lost under the heating process. this means that even though the elemental composition is know at the beginning of the process, it my be altered in the finished product

For this reason it is important to be able to analyze the final product to compare its elemental composition.by comparing good and bad products, it is possible to understand what differences there are in elemental composition between the two

Another important point to consider is that the powders uses in additive manufacturing can oxidize over time. that being the case, it is vital to gain a firm understanding of how quickly this will likely accrue , and to discover more about how this oxidization will affect the finished item. for instance ,analysis will be required to determine the shelf-life-of the product

How the future of additive manufacturing shapes up remains to be seen. However, the benefits of using powders-especially the removal of physical limitations pf products –should mean them playing a hugely important role as the industry evolves and develops.

there is a significant amount of research and development currently being carried out in this area, with manufacturing keen to establish new ways for better performing products to be  At  made present 3D printed metal products are in their infancy and

, as understanding of the process of printing the products improves and the processes are refined, the number of items that can be manufacturing using these methods will increase exponentially

Similarly, improvements in the quality of the powders used will help to increase the number of products that can be made. the current barriers to successful additive manufacturing are the physical properties of the alloys formed, said Peter Morgan ,product specialist at Elementary UK

which manufactures the inductor product line-a range used to determine the elemental compositions of an inorganic material, such as the powders used in additive  manufacturing they are currently brittle and so they cannot take the stress of the cast/forged metal item

When the technique is refined it will be possible to produce bespoke items cheaply .this is very expensive  currently due to the cost of the molds that need to be created for the production of the piece. this  is common with other items, such as plastics

?Ever wondered why some seemingly simple parts are disproportionately expensive

Normally its because they will not sell in large number and so are producted in small batches. this means the cost of making the molds, for example ,cannot be spread over a large number of items

Morgan explained that if it is possible to make custom parts cheaply, then bespoke products will become more affordable

he gives the example pf a classic car: if you have a classic car and need a new part for the engine, but the part is no longer produced ,rather than trying to track down a part  in the scrapyard you may be able to print a new one. another example concerns medical car.

if a person breaks a bone and requires a plate to support the break, might it be possible in the future to print a bespoke part from an MRI scan

With powders being vital to a3D printing industry with such incredible potention, one that could help to revolutionize many other industries, including the medical word, the importance of using powders of the required standard is clear. additive manufacturing could play a crucial role in metal production in they years ahead-as such

it is imperative that the materials used, can be properly tested and analyzed. with the right equipment, any fears can be allayed that a powder is unsafe or unsuitable, and that it is of the required standard to produce items that can  make a real difference