Development of additive manufacturing process of new particle size distribution powder for structural aeropace application

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The price of a printed metal part is high today because the processes use powders with very narrow characteristics to ensure good performance. These powders are expensive, limiting their fields of application. Ensuring the same level of quality with powders having coarser characteristics will generate enormous gains, but such a change is difficult because the process is highly sensitive to powder characteristics; requiring a significant paradigm shift. Changing the type of powder imply a complex process of developing parameters and analysis. The project's industrial partner (AP&C) will be able to produce a wide variety of powder types in order to establish which characteristics are the most appropriate to increase printing performance, process reproducibility, quality of the parts produced and guarantee analysis. A significant cost/benefit is introduced by such a change. This project will define the necessary modifications to the printing process to be able to use powders with a larger size distribution than the standard without compromising the quality of the parts produced. Through close collaboration between an experienced Korean printer, a Quebec powder producer, and a Quebec characterization center, the project will establish the necessary changes to enable the manufacturing of aeronautical quality parts using new types and less expensive powders. The results will reduce costs, develop expertise in both powder development and advanced characterization and train qualified personnel in a field in demand.