A LOOK INTO POWDER MATERIALS FOR METAL 3D PRINTING

       

The market for 3D printing is poised for an explosive growth. Today, a plethora of 3D printing techniques can shape objects from an ever growing list of materials – photo-polymeric resins, extruded filament, powders of plastics, pure metals and alloys, etc.

Metal additive processes such as metal powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition are potentially capable of producing high-quality, functional and load bearing parts from a variety of metallic powder materials. However, “one-size-fits-all” doesn’t apply well to industrial additive manufacturing and when it comes to high value parts and critical applications, it’s crucial to know the pros and cons of these processes and how they apply to a chosen material, or to partner with an expert who does.