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: Denis Mutel, Simon Gélinas, Carl Blais
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Materials & Design
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525005271
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author Denis Mutel
Simon Gélinas
Carl Blais
author_facet Denis Mutel
Simon Gélinas
Carl Blais
author_sort Denis Mutel
collection DOAJ
description 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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spelling doaj-art-df2e36f5e1a94c47aecc32e5aa972d252025-08-20T02:09:11ZengElsevierMaterials & Design0264-12752025-06-0125411410710.1016/j.matdes.2025.114107Production of S7 tool steel powders by water atomization for laser powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition additive manufacturingDenis Mutel0Simon Gélinas1Carl Blais2Powder Metallurgy Laboratory, Department of Mining, Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, Université Laval, 1065 de la médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, CanadaPowder Metallurgy Laboratory, Department of Mining, Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, Université Laval, 1065 de la médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, CanadaCorresponding author.; Powder Metallurgy Laboratory, Department of Mining, Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, Université Laval, 1065 de la médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, CanadaThe 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.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525005271Water atomizationSteel powdersAdditive manufacturingLaser Powder-Bed FusionDirected Energy Deposition
spellingShingle Denis Mutel
Simon Gélinas
Carl Blais
Production of S7 tool steel powders by water atomization for laser powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition additive manufacturing
Materials & Design
Water atomization
Steel powders
Additive manufacturing
Laser Powder-Bed Fusion
Directed Energy Deposition
title Production of S7 tool steel powders by water atomization for laser powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition additive manufacturing
title_full Production of S7 tool steel powders by water atomization for laser powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition additive manufacturing
title_fullStr Production of S7 tool steel powders by water atomization for laser powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition additive manufacturing
title_full_unstemmed Production of S7 tool steel powders by water atomization for laser powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition additive manufacturing
title_short Production of S7 tool steel powders by water atomization for laser powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition additive manufacturing
title_sort production of s7 tool steel powders by water atomization for laser powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition additive manufacturing
topic Water atomization
Steel powders
Additive manufacturing
Laser Powder-Bed Fusion
Directed Energy Deposition
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525005271
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AT simongelinas productionofs7toolsteelpowdersbywateratomizationforlaserpowderbedfusionanddirectedenergydepositionadditivemanufacturing
AT carlblais productionofs7toolsteelpowdersbywateratomizationforlaserpowderbedfusionanddirectedenergydepositionadditivemanufacturing