PowderMet          AMPM          Special Interest

090 - Thermal Sprayed Ultrahard Alloy Powders for Improved Stamping Die Surfaces
Iver Eric Anderson, FAPMI, Ames National Laboratory

Greater manufacturing efficiency of lightweight automotive panels and parts could be achieved by better stamping processes, especially for aluminum alloy sheet. Lighter vehicles from these lightweight auto body panels will reduce greenhouse gas emissions both by improving gas mileage for ICE vehicles and by extending driving range for electric vehicles. Wear resistant die claddings are being developed from gas atomized powders of new ultrahard refractory high-entropy alloys (RHEA) developed by Ames and Sandia National Labs to greatly improve the service life of automotive sheet metal stamping dies and inserts. Powder-based thermal spray claddings also could minimize the need for die lubricants. These initial collaborations with Ford involve wear test specimens that are coated by HVOF (high velocity oxy-fuel) with at least 10 layers on flat or grooved coupons. Results of microstructure analysis and initial wear and forming tests are reported. Support from USDOE-EERE-AMMTO through Ames Laboratory on Contract No. DE-AC02-07CH11358.

091 - HVOF Coatings for Improved Refractory Cladding of Stamping Dies
Dave Byrd, Ames National Laboratory

High velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) is a thermal spray coating process often used to give improved wear properties to the surface of a component. In this case, the inserts and continuous surfaces of stamping dies for Al-alloy sheet forming need to be protected from adhesion and galling. There are many process parameters that can affect the robustness of the applied coatings. In this study preliminary coatings of Ti-6Al-4V (wt.%) were sprayed and evaluated for porosity, adherence to the substrate, oxygen content, and overall strength of the coating. These results prepared us for investigation of these same aspects with gas atomized powders of a novel ultrahard high entropy alloy (HEA) coating. The desired end result being identification of an extreme wear resistant surface coating capable of withstanding severe duty. Support from USDOE-EERE-AMMTO through Ames National Laboratory under contract no. DE-AC02-07CH11358.

142 - Scalloped Potatoes: How They're Protecting PM Parts From Corrosion
Troy Smith, Allegheny Coatings

While phosphating and plating finishes for PM have been common for years, zinc flake coatings are becoming more popular in PM as various industries have increased the corrosion protection expectations and aesthetics of certain parts.  This program will focus on the various pretreatments, application processes and secondary finishes that are required to successfully plate and apply coatings.  In addition, it will differentiate between zinc plating, zinc nickel plating and zinc flake coatings (commonly referred to as Geomet, Magni, Dorken, etc).

129 - Sample Preparation and Revealing the Microstructure
Thomas Murphy, FAPMI, Hoeganaes Corporation

To perform an accurate metallographic analysis on AM or PM samples, several preliminary conditions must be met. The first step in the process is to realize the intended outcome of the analysis, then develop a process to attain this goal. Following this concept stage, the correct sample must be selected and removed from a larger part of volume of powder, it is probably encapsulated in a structurally sound mount, then ground and polished to reach the true microstructure. Many analyses can be performed on the as-polished surface, however the different components in the microstructure are usually revealed using chemical etchants, tint etchants (stains), and utilizing specialized microscopy techniques. Each step in the process must be accomplished correctly to ensure an accurate analysis.

130 - Microstructural Analysis Using Quantitative Techniques
Thomas Murphy, FAPMI, Hoeganaes Corporation

Examining properly prepared samples offers an analyst the opportunity to generate information from the appearance of the microstructure that includes shapes and sizes of the various features, spatial distributions, quantities, and many more. These data can be semi-quantitative and/or quantitative depending on the techniques used and the design of the analyses. In addition, they may be performed on as-polished and etched/stained surfaces. Examples of these analyses will be discussed using both manual and automated techniques.

131 - Practical Examples of Metallographic Testing
Thomas Murphy, FAPMI, Hoeganaes Corporation

Revealing the microstructure correctly is an essential element in performing a meaningful metallographic analysis. Once this is accomplished, various examinations can be performed that help explain the history of a part, its behavior during processing and in service, cause for failure, and countless other examples. This final presentation is comprised of several metallographic analyses made on PM and AM parts and powders.

013 - Clean-HIP Processing to Minimize Surface Oxidation
Andrew Cassese, Quintus Technologies

The hot isostatic process (HIP) has often been coupled with oxidation of surfaces due to high oxygen partial pressure at the HIP pressure. Oxygen originating from several different individual sources, all which must be controlled to avoid surface oxidation and various forms of contamination. This contamination may have detrimental effects on critical components that are exposed to fatigue. This has led to the need to wrap components with different types of metal foils gettering the contaminants before these can react with the part surfaces. The need for getters of course consumes resources placing a demand to develop a viable solution to this challenge.
A new toolbox combines the best practices in way of working with the HIP system, new equipment capabilities, and fit for purpose oxygen getter cassettes. This concept promises the opportunity to reduce oxygen species in the HIP process by over 95%. The result is a path for significantly less part surface oxidation and contamination. This will increase the efficiency and accuracy of further post processing techniques such as chemical milling to allow for a more uniform surface finish.
This presentation will highlight the current challenges with HIP equipment and the origin of the oxidation that causes part discoloration. It will focus on the best practices to mitigate moisture in the HIP furnace and highlight the industry benefits of HIP with the new equipment capabilities. 

037 - Heat Treatment of Ti-4.7Mo-4.5Fe Alloy Produced Using Selective Laser Melting
Thuli Mkhaliphi,
Stellenbosch University

Titanium alloys are widely used for orthopedic implants due to their reasonable stability in the human body, low density, and excellent biocompatibility compared to other metallic alloys. Ti-4.7Mo-4.5Fe is a titanium alloy with the potential to replace the Ti-6Al-4V alloy in orthopedic implant applications. Ti-4.7Mo-4.5Fe alloys produced using conventional methods demonstrated superior biological and mechanical biocompatibility when compared to Ti-6Al-4V, a standard titanium alloy for orthopedic implants. In this study, a Ti-4.7Mo-4.5Fe alloy manufactured using selective laser melting underwent an α+β solution treatment followed by an aging (αβ-STA) heat treatment process. The heat treatment process resulted in reduced porosity, microstructural transformation and improvements in mechanical properties. The microstructure of the as-printed samples exhibited prior β grains and α grains. After heat treatment, the samples showed a continuous grain boundary α (αGB) and elongated α lamellae structures within the β matrix. Heat treatment resulted in a 35% increase in yield strength and a 25% increase in tensile strength, respectively.

014 - Strategizing with Hot Isostatic Pressing Treatments to Significantly Reduce Post-processing Time of L-PBF 718 Parts
Andrew Cassese, Quintus Technologies

Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) treatments are typically applied to additively manufactured (AM) parts to seal internal porosity and improve performance and reliability of the component. Ni-based super alloys require multiple heat treatments including stress relief, HIP, solution anneal, and two-step age to produce a microstructure that can withstand demanding environments. AM offers many advantages over conventional manufacturing techniques, but multiple post processing steps often make the commercial case prohibitive. 
In this work, UNS N07718 parts were manufactured by laser powder-bed fusion, subjected to a range of HIP and heat treatments, and machined into a geometry that allows for high-throughput tension testing thereby removing the following variables: surface roughness and contour microstructures. The goal of this study is to simplify heat treatment routes while maintaining satisfactory tensile performance by leveraging modern HIP technology. Recent advancements in HIP equipment now offer the ability to integrate HIP and heat treatment in the HIP furnace with the aid of controllable high-speed cooling and in-HIP quenching and is referred to as high pressure heat treatment. The tailored heat treatment avenues will attempt to accomplish the following: avoiding heat treatment steps such as stress relief and solution anneal by consolidating in the HIP, minimizing the number of aging steps, minimizing grain growth, sealing porosity with a minimum HIP pressure, and avoiding recrystallization to retain dislocation cell networks for optimum productivity and performance. 

087 - Effect of Reuse and Rejuvenation of Tungsten Powder Processed via Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion
Christopher Ledford, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Fabrication of refractory metals through additive manufacturing allows for the creation of complex geometries with high-temperature and high-strength properties. These unique material properties are required for applications such as fission and fusion energy. While in some cases, pure refractory metals are the preferred material, they suffer from degradation due to lack of oxidation resistance. This poses issues with the powder feedstock and efficiency of reuse through the additive process. Research on improving the cost efficiency of feedstock materials is critically important as there is an ever-increasing need for high-temperature materials. In this work, samples are fabricated using tungsten powder produced from a plasma process using the electron beam powder bed fusion process. Changes in the chemical, morphological, and microstructural changes of powders and prismatic bars were studied as the powder degrades over several builds.

083 - AM of Crack Prone Mo and Mo Alloys via Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion
Victoria Himelstein, North Carolina State University

Currently, blades fabricated from investment cast nickel-based (Ni-base) alloys are stymied by the material’s upward limit of 1,000 °C, constraining the combined cycle efficiency at 63%. To increase material temperatures further, refractory materials offer immense opportunities to develop novel designs in a bottom-up approach for cooled blades with the aim of increasing overall cycle efficiency by 3-7%. However, the means to process and manufacture refractory materials into complex airfoil geometries is largely non-existent. Advanced manufacturing (AM) processes offer a compelling solution to fill this gap. Furthermore, the room temperature friability of these materials presents significant challenges to AM processing. In an effort to control oxidation and cracking, this study investigates the processing of Mo and Mo alloys through high ambient temperature electron beam powder bed fusion (EB-PBF) AM. 

093 - Niobium (Nb) Base Alloy Powders for High-Temperature Additive Manufacturing Applications
Bahar Fayyazi, TANIOBIS GmbH

The development of commercially available Niobium (Nb) base alloy powders for additive manufacturing (AM) opens up completely new opportunities for the production of high-temperature, high-performance components that are particularly interesting for aerospace applications. It is crucial to comprehend the entire workflow, which ranges from powder production and characterization to the determination of optimal process parameters. In a detailed publication, TANIOBIS GmbH, in collaboration with Alloyed Ltd., provides insights into the preparation, characterization, and processing of Nb base alloy powders using metal AM techniques. Nb base alloys such as C-103 and FS-85 are emerging as promising candidates to improve the capabilities of 3D printing, particularly in aerospace applications. What sets Nb base alloys apart from common materials are their exceptional properties - remarkably low density combined with high thermal conductivity, and outstanding mechanical strength at high temperatures. These properties make such alloys a superior alternative to traditional Ni and Co base materials, particularly in environments with temperatures surpassing 1,050°C. While C-103 has become firmly established in conventional manufacturing, there is still no experience with conventional molding for FS-85, which is currently the focus of interest due to its extraordinary strength at elevated temperatures. The commercial availability of FS-85 alloy powders for additive manufacturing opens up exciting possibilities for producing high-performance components with complex geometries.

114 - How to Debind and Sinter Metal AM Parts
Stefan Joens, Elnik Systems, LLC

This paper goes into the details on how to debind and sinter metal AM parts. Tools for recipe development. Different types of needs for debinding based on technology. Rules and recipe development for thermal debind and sinter. Understanding the life of a sinter-based AM part, after the print is completed.

076 - New Investigations of Distortion in Aluminum 6061 Binder Jetted Parts
Nicholas Murphy, Kymera International

Binder jet technology shows much promise for its potential high throughput compared to other additive manufacturing technologies. Using continuous sintering techniques, we have shown that binder jet aluminum exhibits impressive physical and mechanical properties, like sintered density and hardness, but distortion remains difficult to control. In this paper, we present data regarding distortion behavior of binder jetted aluminum 6061 based on varying powder, printing, and sintering parameters. Understanding distortion better may help to realize the potential of metal binder jet printing and bring it into wider use.

564 - Iron-Based Powder Solutions for Soft Magnetic Composite Applications
Bruce Lindsley, Hoeganaes Corporation

566 - Applications and Opportunities for Powder Metallurgy in Next-Gen Electric Vehicle Drivetrains
George Coppens, Amsted Automotive

The design of electric vehicle drivetrains continue to diverge further from those of internal combustion vehicles which presents new opportunities and challenges, especially in disconnect and multi-speed shifting solutions. Original equipment manufacturers and Tier 1 drivetrain suppliers demand smaller, lighter, and more torque dense products that increase battery range while being invisible to the driver. Press and sinter powder metal components remain an immediate option for some use cases while high torque and high speed applications require advancement in powder metal capabilities. This presentation will cover the latest EV drivetrain offerings from Amsted Automotive for multi-speed shifting and drivetrain disconnects. Opportunities to increase powder metal usage will also be discussed.

567 - Soft Magnetic Composite Opportunities in Future E-Mobility
Troy Goldschmidt, Alvier Mechatronics GmbH

Alvier Mechatronics GmbH is an engineering company where one focus area is exploring the advantages of SMC materials in automotive and industrial applications. In this presentation, the use of SMC in several application areas such as automotive traction, smaller auxiliary high torque motors, inductors for DC/DC converters will be shown highlighting the value added as well as the necessary enablers: using the full potential of the material properties.

The past decade has seen significant development in the field of Soft Magnetic Composite (SMC) materials and their application in electrical machines and passive components (e.g. inductors, actuators). One part of this can be attributed to their isotropic thermal and magnetic properties, allowing for relatively complex structures to support magnetic flux. Another part is their high saturation flux density and inherent ability to supress high frequency eddy-current iron losses due to the small, inorganically insulated iron particles and high component bulk resistivity.