Fabrication Technologies of Spherical-Shaped Metal Powders Suitable for Additive Manufacturing

Abstract:

Addittive manufactureing (AM) processes have been a major concern in most countries since 1990s. Powers are the main raw materials for AM, and qualities of powders effect the part fabricated by AM significantly. Spherical-shaped metal powders are ideal raw materials for AM due to the properties of excellent fluidity, spreadability, and high bulk density. State of the art on two technologies preparing spherical-shaped powders of atomization and spheroidization are presented. Methods such as conventional water/gas atomization, Electrode Induction-melting Inert Gas Atomization, and plasma rotating electrode process are specified and compared. According to the requirement of metal AM, the trends of spherical powder fabrication technology are proposed.