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Comparison of ultrasonic and other atomization methods in metal powder production

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Explore technology of ultrasonic atomization in this insightful research paper. Learn how ultrasonic atomization outperforms traditional gas atomization in producing high-quality metal powders. With detailed analysis on particle size, density, flowability, and microstructure, this paper is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of additive manufacturing.

A Comparative Study on Laser Powder Bed Fusion of Differently Atomized 316L Stainless Steel

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The paper focuses on the advancements in Additive Manufacturing (AM) and the growing demand for small gradation metallic powders. It presents a comparative study between two methods of producing 316L stainless steel powders: Ultrasonic Atomization (UA) and Plasma Arc Gas Atomization (PAGA). The study begins by analyzing the powder particle statistical distribution, chemical composition, density, and flowability of the powders produced by both methods. Subsequently, test samples are produced using AM to observe differences in microstructure, porosity, and hardness. The study concludes with an analysis of mechanical properties, including tensile testing with Digital Image Correlation (DIC) and Charpy’s impact tests. The research finds that both ultrasonic and gas atomization methods can produce materials with similar properties, which is significant for the AM industry.

A new Al-Cu alloy for LPBF developed via ultrasonic atomization

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Discover the innovative Al-Cu alloy developed for Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) through ultrasonic atomization. This article delves into the creation of an Al-Cu alloy with additions of Ti, Cr, and Fe, designed to overcome the hot cracking susceptibility of traditional 2xxx aluminum alloys in LPBF. Learn how the addition of Ti and Cr leads to grain refinement and how near-eutectic Fe addition reduces the solidification temperature range, inhibiting hot cracking. With high nanohardness values, this novel alloy holds promise for advanced manufacturing applications.

Flexible Powder Production for Additive Manufacturing of Refractory Metal-Based Alloys

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Discover the intricacies of metal powder production for additive manufacturing with our in-depth article. Dive into the innovative ultrasonic atomization (UA) process that offers flexibility in alloy composition and is ideal for producing refractory metal-based alloys. Compare it with the industrial electrode induction gas atomization (EIGA) process, and explore how these methods affect the size distribution, sphericity, microstructure, and chemical composition of the powders. This article is a treasure trove for those keen on understanding the cutting-edge technologies in powder production for additive manufacturing.

Heat Treatment Effect on SLM Printed Al-Si12 Using Ultrasonically Atomized Powder

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Additive manufacturing has evolved in recent years, gaining research interest from various industries. It became an important aspect of modern manufacturing since it enabled the production of the parts that were previously difficult to create. Laser-based additive manufacturing, such as selective laser melting (SLM), requires high-quality powder as feedstock. The properties of the powder can directly influence the quality of the printed part. Therefore, powder atomization has also gained attention in research society. Other than that, laser-based additive manufacturing involves high cooling rates that can result in residual stresses. Hence, stress relief heat treatment is required to avoid the warping of the part. However, heat treatment can significantly change the microstructure of the asbuilt part. Therefore, the quality and the final mechanical properties of the additively manufactured part are linked not only to the SLM parameters but also to the powder atomization and heat treatment. The influence of the printed part of both processes is still not fully understood. Hence, to study the effect of stress relief annealing on the additively manufactured material, the samples were tested on the tensile testing machine. For the printer feedstock material, Al-Si12 powder was produced on a laboratory scale using an ultrasonic atomizer. The produced powder was studied and observed under an SEM microscope. The morphology and particle size distribution were presented. The as-built samples from the atomized powder had tensile strength of 422 MPa. It was shown that heat treatment could significantly decrease the tensile strength, ultimate strain, toughness, and yield stress compared to the as-built samples. 

DED Powder Modification for Single-Layer Coatings on High-Strength Steels

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In the design of L-DED (laser-directed energy deposition) cladding processes, the chemical composition of the metallic powders is typically assumed to match that of the intended coating. However, during the deposition of the first layer, dilution with the substrate alters the weld metal composition, deviating from the nominal powder chemistry. Although the application of multiple layers can gradually reduce this dilution effect, it introduces additional complexity and processing time. This study proposes an alternative strategy to counteract substrate dilution from the very first deposited layer, eliminating the need for multilayer coatings. Specifically, to achieve a corrosion-resistant monolayer of AISI 316L stainless steel on a high-strength, quenched-and-tempered AISI 4140 steel substrate, a dilution-compensating alloy powder is added to the standard AISI 316L feedstock. Single-layer coatings, both with and without compensation, were evaluated in terms of chemical composition, microstructure, and corrosion resistance. The results show that unmodified coatings suffered a chromium depletion of approximately 2 wt.%, leading to a reduced pitting potential of Ep = 725 ± 6 mV in synthetic seawater. In contrast, the use of the compensation alloy preserved chromium content and significantly improved corrosion resistance, achieving a pitting potential of Ep = 890 ± 9 mV.