Spherical Powders for Additive Manufacturing
Spherical powders are finely controlled metal or alloy particles with a near-perfect spherical morphology, produced specifically for additive manufacturing technologies such as selective laser melting (SLM), electron beam melting (EBM) and binder jetting. Their uniform shape and narrow particle size distribution result in excellent powder flow, high packing density and excellent layer consistency during printing.

Commonly Used Spherical Powder Materials:

• Pure metals: Ti, Cu, Mo, W, Ni, Co — used for conductive, structural, and high-temp parts
• Titanium-based alloys: Ti6Al4V, Ti64 ELI — for aerospace and medical implants
• Nickel-based alloys: Inconel 625, 718 — for high-temperature components
• Cobalt-chromium alloys: CoCrMo — used in dental and orthopedic fields
• Stainless steels: 316L, 17-4PH — for industrial and tooling use
• Aluminum alloys: AlSi10Mg — ideal for lightweight structures
• Copper-based alloys: for thermal and electrical conductivity applications

Key Parameters for Spherical Powders:

• Particle size distribution: e.g. 15–45 μm, 20–63 μm
• Sphericity: ideally >95%
• Flowability: measured via Hall flow or rheological tests
• Vibrational and packing density: impact build consistency and shrinkage
• Oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen content: reflect purity of active metals

Applications:

• 3D printing: consumables for LENs (DMD), EBDM, SLM technologies
• Biomedical: custom orthopedic implants, dental restorations
• Automotive: prototypes, lightweight engine components
• Electronics: high thermal conductivity and micro-components