Production of S7 tool steel powders by water atomization for laser powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition additive manufacturing
The vast majority of powders used in additive manufacturing (AM) are produced by gas atomization. This process generates metal powders typically made of spherical particles that are exempt from significant oxidation products. The objective of the work summarized in this article is to substitute gas...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Materials & Design |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525005271 |
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| Summary: | The vast majority of powders used in additive manufacturing (AM) are produced by gas atomization. This process generates metal powders typically made of spherical particles that are exempt from significant oxidation products. The objective of the work summarized in this article is to substitute gas atomization with water atomization to produce steel powders for additive manufacturing. Due to their irregular morphology, water-atomized metal particles are well known for having significantly lower apparent density and flowability than gas-atomized ones. The rationale of this study is to optimize the chemistry of the original alloys in combination with post-sintering treatments to maximize particle sphericity (morphology) while minimizing oxygen content. Results show that tool steel powders having rheological properties close to those of gas-atomized powders can be produced by water atomization, making them adequate for additive manufacturing in laser powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition These results suggest that water-atomized metal powders are a serious alternative to gas-atomized powders. It becomes clear that water-atomized steel powders can drive greater adoption of additive manufacturing for high-volume production of ferrous components. |
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| ISSN: | 0264-1275 |