Evaluating the feeding of water atomized powder for additive manufacturing

增材制造正在走向成熟，我们面临着重大挑战，这些挑战继续限制其更广泛的采用。 在基于粉末的金属增材制造的情况下，重要的财务障碍来自必须使用的金属粉末的成本。 在传统的送粉系统中需要具有高度球形形状的气体雾化粉末，这是由于更不规则形状的粉末会产生堵塞的风险。 然而，与传统上用于大批量工艺（如粉末冶金）的粉末相比，气体雾化粉末的价格要昂贵得多。在本项目中，我们试图研究一种新技术在增材制造中金属粉末进料的潜力。 到目前为止，气体雾化粉末已经成功地使用这种新的粉末进料器。 为了研究这项新技术的潜力，也饲料更多的不规则形状（但显着降低成本）水雾化粉末，我们建议与加拿大公司力拓金属粉末合作。 粉末冶金中使用的具有不同粒度分布和成分的不规则形状的钢粉将在我们的进料系统中进行评估。 将建立最佳进料参数，并与数值（离散元建模）结果进行比较。 其目的是表明，许多目前的关注，使用水雾化粉末可以消除，如果新的粉末进料技术可以引入到该领域。

Additive manufacturing is maturing and as it does we are faced with major challenges that continue to limit its wider adoption. In the case of powder-based metallic additive manufacturing a significant financial hurdle comes from the cost of the metallic powder that must be used. Gas atomized powders with a highly spherical shape are needed in traditional powder feeding systems due to the risk of clogging that arises with more irregularly shaped powders. Gas atomized powders are, however, significantly more expensive compared to powders more traditionally used in high volume processes such as powder metallurgy.In this project, we seek to investigate the potential of a new technology for the feeding of metallic powders in additive manufacturing. To date, gas atomized powders have been successfully fed using this new powder feeder. To investigate the potential of this new technology to also feed more irregularly shaped (but significantly lower cost) water atomized powders, we propose to partner with Canadian company Rio Tinto Metal Powders. Irregularly shaped steel powders, used in powder metallurgy, having different size distributions and compositions will be evaluated within our feeding system. Optimal parameters for feeding will be established and compared with the results of numerical (discrete element modelling) results. The aim is to show that many of the current concerns over the use of water atomized powder can be eliminated if new technologies for powder feeding can be introduced to the field.