Additive manufacturing of a high-performance aluminum alloy from cold mechanically derived non-spherical powder

Abstract

Metal additive manufacturing provides a path to optimized component design with significant realized advantages in the medical and aerospace industries. Limitations to expansion to other industries, e.g. automotive, and to enabling supply chain relief is the limited number of materials available and the ability to produce material on demand. Current additive manufacturing powder feedstock is produced at large, remote atomization facilities with long lead times. Here we identify a new “on-demand” powder production technology, cold mechanically derived, able to produce non-spherical powder for additive manufacturing, with high efficiency, and wrought equivalent material properties. We analyze the powder flow characteristics and mechanical properties comparing typical gas atomized with the new process demonstrating wrought property equivalence despite power sourcing. This research will enable expansion of additional alloy systems as well as encourage the processing of non-spherical powders to expand the available supply base of new alloys for additive manufacturing.