[T6] AM Beam Based Technologies

[15B-T6-13] 3D-Fabrication of SUS630 and SUS316L Water Atomized Steel Powders by L-PBF Additive Manufacturing

*A. Yanagitani¹, H. Takeuchi¹, A. Hirayama², T. Kaneyoshi², T. Yamasaki² (1.University of Hyogo, Japan, 2.Hyogo Prefectural Institute of Technology, Japan)

Keywords:AM, Water Atomized Powder, L-PBF

In order to create the high-density metal additive manufacturing (AM) objects using the Laser-powder-bed-fusion (L-PBF) type metal 3D printers, high fluidity of metal powder that depends on the shape of the powder is one of extremely important factors. Gas atomization is an excellent method for producing spherical metal powder that exhibits high fluidity, but it is very expensive to produce it. To reduce the powder manufacturing costs, water atomization is advantageous, but it is challenging to produce spherical powder. In this report, 3D-fabrication conditions of SUS630 and SUS316L water atomized steel powders by using the Laser-PBF have been studied. These powders manufactured by EPSON ATMIX Co., Ltd. exhibited high sphericity and high fluidity similar to those of general gas atomized powders. Some characterizations of the 3D-formed objects such as relative volume density and mechanical properties have been done.