Rapid prototyping technology known also as additive production technology or 3D printer technology is the key technology behind the “third Industrial Revolution”. Three-dimensional metal printing is the next frontier in manufacturing. The material base for metal printing is metal powder. 3D printing has also been revolutionized by this material.

The titanium alloy

Titanium alloy is highly resistant to heat, high corrosion resistance, strong strength, low density, and biocompatibility. It is used widely in various fields, such as the aerospace and chemical industries, nuclear industry, sports equipment and medical devices. It has been used extensively in high-tech areas as a titanium alloy part. These parts are made from traditional forging and casting technologies. This is the case for F14, F15 & F117 US military aircraft. The titanium content in these planes are: 24%, 27%, 25%, 26%. Another example is the 42% of a Boeing747 aircraft with a titanium volume 42.7t. Forging and casting traditional techniques to produce large amounts of titanium alloy is not feasible due to disadvantages such as high production costs, complex process and low material utilization rate. Because metal 3D printer technology solves these problems fundamentally, it has recently become an innovative technology that allows direct manufacturing of titanium alloy parts.

Aluminum alloy

While aluminum alloys possess excellent physical, mechanical and chemical properties, many have used them in many different fields. The problem with selective laser melting is increased by their inherent properties: easy oxidation. High reflectivity. SLM-formed aluminum alloys have problems including oxidation. A strict protective atmosphere is essential to avoid these problems. It also increases the power of the scanner (minimum 150W), as well as reducing its speed.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel offers high mechanical and chemical resistance as well as resistance to high temperatures. It’s the original material that 3D metal printing used because of its high powder formability, low cost, and simple preparation.

Superalloy can be described as a special kind of metal, which is resistant to heat and can work well under high temperatures up to 600 °C. It exhibits high heat strength and is highly resistant to hot corrosion and other oxidation. It is currently divided according to its alloy matrix into three types: cobalt and nickel-based. The majority of superalloys is used in high-performance engine applications. Advanced aeroengines are built with high-temperature alloy materials that account for around 40% to 60%. It is becoming increasingly important to use superalloys for high-performance engines. Traditional ingot-metallurgy processes have a slow cooling speed, significant segregation and the second stage in an ingot. They also suffer from poor thermal processing performance and uneven organization. This results in unstable performance. 3. It is now possible to use 3D printing technology to overcome technical issues in superalloy formation.

Instruction of development

Improve the relationship between materials structure and their properties using existing materials. Optimize process parameters to match the nature of materials. Increase print speed, lower porosity and increase surface quality.

Refine materials for 3D printing.

Improve and revise technical standards for 3D printing with powder materials. Establish normalization procedures and norms for metal material printing technology standards. Luoyang Trunnano Tech Co., Ltd., also known as TRUNNANO, is a professional manufacturer of 3D printing powders materials. It has more 12 years experience with chemical product research. To find high quality 3D powder materials for your printing projects, please contact us .
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