PowderMet          AMPM          Special Interest          TNT Presentations

056 - A Representative Case Study: Improving Production Efficiency Through Changes to Surface Finish of Tooling
Tevis Jacobs, Surface Design Solutions, Inc.

Production efficiency in powder manufacturing is limited by sub-optimal surface quality of tooling. Poor surface finish can lead to a higher-than-expected rate of cleaning or repolishing, additional idle time during press set-up, and even early failure of the tool. While powerful CAD/CAM software helps to design the geometry of punches, dies, and molds; the industry has lacked an equally powerful software for the design of their surface finish. Instead, engineers must rely on intuition or trial-and-error testing to figure out which surface finish produces acceptable performance. Because of this, manufacturers must frequently tolerate extensive downtime and long optimization cycles as the cost of doing business.

Here we discuss an opportunity to improve production efficiency, and deliver quantifiable cost savings, through simple improvements in surface finish. Using only existing QA measurements that most manufacturers are already collecting, we use a machine-learning approach to create an easy-to-measure surface specification that is purpose-built to improve production efficiency in powder manufacturing. We will describe a representative case study where hundreds of thousands of dollars can be saved per year through small changes to surface finishing.

012 - Ejection Friction Force of a Compacted Part Correlation to Compacting Force
David Morales, Capstan

Determination of Ejection Friction force is necessary in the development of a compacted part, tooling and proprietary multi-level tool assemblies.

With powder type, part length, lubricant type and tool steel/finish all being variables that affect Ejection Friction Force, a direct correlation using known inputs such as surface area and Powder Compaction T.S.I. would be very helpful in the preparation of tool design, lube type and press selection. This presentation reviews the methods used, data collected, and inputs needed to calculate Ejection Friction Force.

025 - A Study of Stresses and Triaxiality in MPIF Std 10 Specimens
Abhishek Chawan, Means Industries- Amsted Auto

Reports from within the powder metallurgy (PM) community indicate difficulties with tensile testing of MPIF Std 10 test specimens because the specimens can break outside of the gage section. Lack of repeatability in the location of failure prevents results from being used, causes the results to be questioned, and can increase testing costs. The absence of finite element analysis (FEA) studies to visualize the stresses and triaxiality in the various tensile bar geometries used by the PM industry was the motivation for this research. This paper will focus on conducting FEA on the various tensile bar geometries in MPIF Std 10. Mises stress, max principal stress, and triaxiality will be extracted, and high stress areas will be identified. After analyzing existing geometries of specimens, new geometries may be proposed to improve the chances of breaking in the gage section.

087 - Powder Metal Processing for Thermal Conductivity Applications
Ian Donaldson, FAPMI, GKN Sinter Metals

Thermal management (TM) is of critical consideration for hybrid and battery electric vehicles (BEV). For example, in the BEV, the TM system is responsible for cooling (and heating) the battery, electric motors, onboard computing and power electronics while maintaining cabin temperature for the driver and passengers. While internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles have a heat source that only requires cooling, with a BEV it is necessary to employ TM systems to control the battery temperature within an optimal range of temperature under high and low temperatures. These requirements provide an opportunity for powder metal (PM) components for both active and passive heat and cooling applications. With the ability to tailor PM materials and geometry through high volume processing, PM is becoming attractive to the automotive industry. An overview of processing and opportunities for PM sourcing is discussed along with comparison to other materials such as cast aluminum which highlights that PM materials are suitable for TM applications.

090 - Properties of Iron-Based Premixes Using a New Lubricant
Amir Shirani, Rio Tinto Metal Powders

This study evaluated the rheological characteristics of various iron-based premixes from Rio Tinto using a newly developed lubricant, ATOLUBE SF. The objective was to investigate different aspects of powder flowability using advanced rheology instrument (GranuDrum) and classic flowmeters. The study compared the die-filling capability and powder flow at both room temperature (RT) and higher temperature and humidity conditions. To evaluate their green and sintered properties, the premixes were tested with varying amounts of lubricant, and their green and sintered properties were compared at different compaction forces and temperatures.

083 - Effect of Impurities on Aging of Sintered Soft Magnetic Materials
Bruce Lindsley, Hoeganaes Corporation

Magnetic aging is well known to be troublesome for sintered soft magnetic materials, in which magnetic permeability decreases over time or when exposed to elevated operating temperatures. Impurities, such as carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, even in the smallest amounts, lead to large decreases in magnetic performance. We present the effects of such impurities on permeability and coercivity with respect to time and temperature to illustrate the importance of chemistry, purity of base material, and processing control. FF-0000 and FY-4500 materials with various carbon impurity levels are studied to determine absolute magnetic aging effect and potential methods to achieve these results faster in a more controlled manner.

080 - A First Look at Oxide Dispersion Strengthened Copper for Laser Powder Bed Fusion
Miranda Vader, PMT, Kymera International

The additive manufacturing industry is seeing an increasing demand for copper alloys in the space and defense markets. These are challenging application spaces where the selected material must maintain sufficient strength and conductivities at elevated temperatures. Oxide Dispersion Strengthened (ODS) Copper offers a solution due to it’s properties being derived from a fine dispersion of oxide particles that are minimally affected by high temperatures. Traditionally used in extruded form, Kymera has optimized powder feedstock to enable processing of ODS copper via laser powder bed fusion. Data such as powder characteristics, print parameter development, and material properties will be examined in this paper.

065 - Boron Modified Silica Nano-Lubricant as a Powder Rheology Modifier and Sintering Aid for AISI 420
Arun Chattopadhyay, Amaero Advanced Materials & Manufacturing, Inc.

The use of nano-lubricants in powder metallurgy is a major advancement for various additive manufacturing processes. The use of nano-additives in the form of nano-particles is highly efficient due to their high surface area and ability to adhere specifically on metal particles smaller than 10 micron. This study is aimed to investigate the effect of adding boron-modified SiO2 nano-powder on the sintering properties of AISI 420 stainless steel (SS). The final density, dimensional changes, and mechanical properties have been studied for the samples prepared under a series of sintering conditions.

076 - Precious Metal Additive Manufacturing
Ingwar Huensche, C.Hafner GmbH + Co. KG

In the fast-growing additive manufacturing (AM) field, precious metals have been added to the list of metals with validated processes. Precious metals have a long history rich in tradition, including luxury jewelry, medtech and industrial applications. The potential of combining AM and precious metals can be more pronounced compared to non-precious metal processing based on the high raw material value and the importance for resource efficiency.

AM performance enhancements are based on improved grain microstructure compared to casting. Further, a simplified production chain, performed completely with NC processes, improves both part-to-part and batch consistency. This is important for critical surface finish and/or micro-size features in miniaturized components for medical devices.

Design freedom, component integration, weight and overall material input reduction create economic benefits, along with lower manufacturing costs due to near net-shape forms, hollow or honeycomb structures, reduced tool and recycling efforts. Integration of features can eliminate assembly. Precious metal AM is generally used to produce pre-forms, such as near-net shapes, where components are finished with state-of-the-art precision machining technologies.

Viability of AM with precious metal powders has been validated in continuous, lights out, 99.9+% density, defect-free production of various precious metal alloy components. Exemplary life cycle assessments of the creation of precious metal products by AM attest an enhanced material efficiency and a significantly reduced product carbon footprint. AM with precious metals is thus concurrently an economic and ecological beneficial manufacturing technology.

026 - Effect of Powder Characteristics on the Sintering Behavior of Binder Jet Printed Cu-30Ni
Zachary Harris, University of Pittsburgh

Cu-30Ni is extensively used for marine applications due to its excellent resistance to biofouling and corrosion in seawater. However, conventional casting supply chains for Cu-30Ni components often have lead times stretching beyond one year, which has motivated significant interest in additive manufacturing (AM) for on-demand, on-site component production. While investigations to date have largely focused on laser-based AM modalities, there is growing interest in using binder jet printing (BJP) to produce Cu-30Ni components due to the reduced anisotropy of built parts and higher tolerance for non-ideal powders. However, work to-date is highly limited on BJP of Cu-30Ni and best practices for printing and sintering are not established. This study seeks to address these knowledge gaps by investigating the sintering behavior of three distinct Cu-30Ni feedstocks: (1) gas-atomized spherical powder, (2) low-cost, machined powder, and (3) plasma-spheroidized low-cost, machined powder. Analysis of particle size and sphericity distributions for each feedstock confirm that, while the nominal size distributions are similar, the machined powder is highly irregular relative to the other feed stocks. Sintering behavior was then studied via thermomechanical analysis and sintering of both compacted and binder jet printed specimens, revealing notable differences in the achieved density for each feedstock. These results provide key insights into the material property trade-offs that will arise with the use of different powder feedstocks, providing a pathway to enable cost-effective BJP for Cu-30Ni components.

028 - Extreme Particle Impact Consolidation (EPIC): A Hybrid Solid-State Approach for Metal Additive Manufacturing via Cold Spray and Sintering
Animesh Bose, FAPMI, AMfg Labs LLC

This study examines a hybrid additive manufacturing approach that combines cold spray deposition and sintering, applied to pure copper and copper-based alloys. By comparing as-sprayed and as-sintered stages to traditional press and sinter powder metallurgy, we assess interparticle bonding, density, and mechanical properties. Results show cold spray’s potential for higher initial density and flexibility in geometry, positioning it as a valuable alternative shaping technology as casting and forging capabilities decline.

079 - On-Site Water Electrolysis Hydrogen Generation Enables Cost and Carbon Footprint Benefits
Devon Landry, Nel Hydrogen

While traditional annealing and brazing of carbon steel parts can be tolerant of widely-variable atmosphere composition including not only delivered hydrogen but also dissociated ammonia and even exo and endo gases, the stainless steel and other higher-value metals used in MIM and Metal AM that require a reducing atmosphere for sintering are best served by a dry, pure hydrogen atmosphere. Traditionally, the pure hydrogen atmosphere has been supplied by delivered gas, but on-site hydrogen generation using water electrolysis is making steady inroads, particularly in the rapidly expanding number of sites doing binder jet Metal AM. The ability to access all of the hydrogen needed for sintering, but with virtually no hydrogen storage, is making it much simpler and less expensive to outfit new and existing facilities to enable them to support binder jet sintering. Additionally, because on-site hydrogen generation uses facility electricity to make hydrogen without carbon dioxide releases, any facility that uses clean electricity supply (renewable or nuclear) will be able to claim a zero carbon footprint associated with their sintering activity.

507 - Gas Atomizer for Refractory Metal Alloys
Aamir Abid, Retech Systems, LLC

There is an increase in demand for refractory metal alloy powders using additive manufacturing modalities. To improve the overall efficiency of gas turbines, high-quality refractory metal alloy powders are required in pilot or production scale quantities. High-temperature alloys are also required to solve corrosion and thermal stability challenges in renewable energy applications. Current powder production methods are not suitable to produce such powder as the process requires an engineered feedstock such as rod or wire. Many alloy systems of interest are either too brittle to form rod/wire (for example, refractory high entropy alloys) or have a complex chemistry that is not commercially available. Retech has developed an atomization system that provides a larger production capacity for a range of metal and alloy powders utilizing Plasma Arc Melting (PAM) in combination with gas atomization. Plasma melting allows for the introduction of a broad range of feed materials including revert without incurring the additional cost of processing feed to wire or bar forms. With this flexibility of feed materials, recycling high-value materials become an economically viable option. The powders produced on the Plasma Atomizer are spherical with minimal satelliting and low internal porosity. Refractory metal alloy Particle Size Distribution (PSD), morphology, and chemistry will be presented in this study.

500 - Production of Refractory Metal AM Powder via Atomization and Plasma Spheroidization
Evan Ryan, Elmet Technologies LLC

Refractory metals possess unique physical properties which necessitate specialty powder production processes. Traditionally, this powder may be pressed and sintered into a billet, which then requires extensive machining. Additive manufacturing (AM) presents a viable alternative method for producing complex refractory metal parts. However, the process to create AM-grade refractory metal powder differs significantly from that of non-refractory AM powders. This presentation will detail Elmet’s process of atomization through spray drying and plasma spheroidization, highlighting the resulting alloy customizability.  

807 - Evaluating Material Capabilities Using Open-course Binder Inkjet Printer
Andrew Gillespie, Purdue University in Indianapolis

With the ever-growing and rapid development in powder-based additive manufacturing, the need for a cost-effective, modifiable, open-source 3D printer tailored to specific ceramic or metallurgical materials has become more pressing in research and industry. This project aims to explore the material processing possibilities and usage of an open-source Binder Inkjet 3D printer in the production of components. This research investigates the properties of specimens produced from open-source printing of several materials. It analyzes the properties of the specimens created by the printer and the influence of the open-source device on part quality, along with comparing the ease of printing on the printer. These findings will contribute to a foundation on appropriate materials for open-source powder printing to aid future studies on usage and development for research and component development.  

814 - Effect of Lunar Dust on Microstructural and Mechanical Properties of 3D Printed Stainless Steel
Aye Thiri Khaing, California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA)

Additive manufacturing is a promising technology used in many industries today. With its flexibility in parameter and material control, it is a unique tool for advanced production. Exploring lunar resources, particularly using lunar dust, has also become an area of growing interest in space engineering. This study investigates the effects of lunar dust on the microstructural and mechanical properties of 3D printed stainless steel using laser- wire directed energy deposition. Single-track line samples were created under controlled printing parameters, followed by a comparison between printed steel with and without the inclusion of regolith powder. Microstructural changes were analyzed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy, while mechanical properties such as tensile strength and hardness were evaluated using standardized testing methods. By studying the properties of 3D printed stainless steel, this research aims to offer an understanding of how lunar dust influences its performance, contributing to the development of functional materials for future lunar missions and space exploration.

802 - SLM Inconel 625 Metal Matrix Composite with TiC Reinforcement for Forging Die Coatings
Gokalp Cetin, Lehigh University

H13 hot forging dies are designed to endure high temperatures; however, their performance is often constrained by wear, mechanical fatigue, and plastic deformation from prolonged use or extreme service conditions. Given the high cost and limited repair options for these dies, improving their durability using advanced manufacturing techniques is of great interest. This research investigates the application of powder metallurgy and additive manufacturing to enhance the high-temperature deformation resistance, surface friction and hardness of H13 dies. Specifically, a reinforced coating made of an Inconel 625 and TiC metal matrix composite is applied through selective laser melting (SLM). The study concentrates on optimizing the powder reinforcement volume, SLM process parameters, and coating thickness to improve wear resistance and thermal stability, ultimately prolonging the service life of coated H13 forging dies.

812 - Sintering behavior of Hydrogen-Reduced Iron Powder from Ore Concentrates
Zhaozhen Huang, University of Utah

The Hydrogen Reduction and Melt-less Steelmaking (HRMLES) process, currently being developed at the University of Utah, is a novel powder metallurgy pathway designed to achieve ultra-low life cycle emissions for steel production. The foundation of this innovation is direct reduction and alloying from concentrated iron ore to produce steel products without the need for melting, thereby avoiding traditional iron and steelmaking processes. This study investigates the sintering behavior of iron powder produced via direct hydrogen reduction of iron ore concentrate, with a primary focus on minimizing oxide inclusions and impurities in sintered parts. Microstructural evolution and phase transformations during sintering are examined using SEM, EDS, and in-situ XRD, supported by computational simulations. This research aims to develop a meltless, cost-effective steelmaking method, contributing to sustainable and energy-efficient metallurgical processes.

834 - Binder Infill Pattern Design Strategies for Increased Mechanical Properties in Binder Jet Additive Manufacturing Parts
Amanda Wei, Virginia Tech

Use of a liquid binding agent is critical for forming part shape and providing green part strength in binder jetting (BJT). Traditionally, binder is homogeneously deposited throughout the entire part volume during printing. However, research in shell printing suggests that reducing the quantity of binder increases sintered part density and strength over that of the conventional solid binder infill, albeit at the cost of green part strength. In the present work, a shell-lattice infill binder patterning strategy comprised of a shell with an internal lattice is applied to 316L stainless steel parts to attempt to augment green and sintered properties. The effects of infill unit cell architecture and unit cell edge length are characterized for parts in both the green and sintered state. In particular, an octet infill with a larger edge length was found to strike the best balance between green and sintered part properties amongst the considered infills.

826 - Additive Manufacturing of 6061 Aluminum Alloy and Pure Aluminum by Paste Extrusion
Hassan Soltani, University of Louisville

This research studies Material Extrusion (MEX) 3D printing of 6061 aluminum alloy and pure aluminum. Paste feedstock was prepared by mixing 6061 aluminum alloy or pure aluminum powder with polymer binders at room temperature. The paste was pneumatically extruded into green parts that were involved in thermal debinding process to remove polymer binders, then sintered in protective atmosphere. Resulting grain structure, sintered density, and mechanical properties will be characterized and compared with corresponding metal parallels in annealed states. The main objective is to explore the feasibility of metal 3D printing by paste extrusion with low energy and space requirements, sponsored by NASA Marshall and Kennedy Centers. The overarching goal is to convert used aluminum food packaging into 3D printing feedstock for rapid, low cost and accurate production of metal parts with 3D features, thereby significantly increasing the efficiency and lowering the costs for future space expeditions.