On the Use of Metal Sinter Powder in Laser Powder Bed Fusion Processing (PBF-LB/M)

Area of Science:

• Additive Manufacturing
• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering

Background:

• Metal Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB/M) enables complex geometries but faces high costs.
• Reducing investment and operating expenses is crucial for broader PBF-LB/M adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate cost-effective alternatives for laser sources and motion systems in PBF-LB/M.
• Assess the feasibility of using lower-cost, water-atomized sinter powder instead of spherical gas-atomized powder.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a cost-efficient, low-alloyed powder (Höganäs HP1).
• Processed the powder on two PBF-LB/M machines with a restricted process window.
• Compared multimode fiber laser with single mode fiber laser and Cartesian motion system with galvanometer scanners.

Main Results:

• Multimode fiber lasers provide a more stable PBF-LB/M process with wider melt pools and reduced parameter sensitivity.
• Cartesian motion systems are suitable for PBF-LB/M, offering design flexibility despite lower scan speeds.
• The study demonstrates a wider stable process window using multimode lasers.

Conclusions:

• Cost-effective components, including multimode fiber lasers and Cartesian motion systems, can be successfully implemented in PBF-LB/M.
• Using water-atomized sinter powder is a viable strategy for reducing PBF-LB/M operating costs.
• This research paves the way for more accessible and economical PBF-LB/M manufacturing.