L2M NSERC - Low-cost spherical powder production for metal additive manufacturing

众所周知，原料金属粉末的成本是金属增材制造（AM）的最高持续成本，无论采购途径如何，都阻碍了该技术在各个行业的广泛采用。此外，在基于粉末的金属AM工艺期间，使用的原料粉末的很大一部分最终成为废物，进一步增加了AM部件的生产成本。该项目旨在将一种利用金属废料和AM废料生产适用于AM工业的低成本球形粉末的新方法商业化。在该方法中，较低的原料成本和降低的能量成本以及该方法的高效率导致所生产的粉末的生产成本急剧降低，最终降低了与金属AM相关的生产成本。这种新型的金属粉末生产和回收技术可以在AM行业的可持续发展和加速金属AM市场增长方面发挥深远的作用。

The cost of feedstock metal powders is known to be the highest continuous expense for metal additive manufacturing (AM), regardless of procurement route, hindering versatile adoption of the technology in various industries. Additionally, during powder-based metal AM processes, a significant fraction of the used feedstock powder ends up as waste, further increasing the AM parts' production cost. This project aims to commercialize a novel method for producing low-cost spherical powders suitable for use in AM industry using metal scraps and AM wastes. In this process, the lower cost of feedstock material and reduced cost of energy as well as the high efficiency of the process result in a drastic decrease in the production cost of the produced powder, ultimately reducing the production costs associated with metal AM. This novel metal powder production and recycling technology can play a profound role in the sustainability of AM industry and acceleration of the metal AM market growth.