How Is The Metal Powder For 3D Printing Made

       

 

The preparation methods of metal powder can be mainly divided into reduction method, electrolysis method, grinding method, atomization method, etc. At present, the two most advanced pulverizing processes commonly used in China are argon atomization method and plasma rotating electrode method.

1. Argon atomization

Argon atomization is a powder making method that uses the fast flowing argon gas flow to impact the metal liquid, break it into fine particles, and then condense into solid powder.

2. Plasma rotating electrode method

The plasma state is called the fourth state of matter. The pulverizing process of plasma rotating electrode atomization (prep method) can be simply described as: the metal or alloy is made into a consumable electrode, the end of the consumable electrode melts under the action of coaxial plasma arc heating source to form a liquid film, the liquid film is thrown out at high speed under the action of rotating centrifugal force to form droplets, and the molten droplets and inert gas in the atomization chamber (argon or helium) friction, further crushing under the action of shear stress, and then the molten droplets quickly cool and solidify into spherical powder under the action of surface tension.

The metal powder produced by plasma rotating electrode method has the following advantages:

It has high sphericity, smooth surface, good fluidity and high loose density, so it has good uniformity of powder laying and high density of printed products; the powder has small particle size, narrow particle size distribution, low oxygen content, less / no spheroidization and agglomeration during printing, good melting effect, high surface finish of products, and the consistency and uniformity of printing can be fully guaranteed; there are basically no hollow powder and satellite Powder, there will be no air gap, entanglement and precipitation pores, cracks and other defects caused by hollow balls in the printing process.

 

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