Additive manufacturing (3D printing)
Optimising powder flow for 3D printing processes and additive manufacturing performance.
In powder bed additive manufacturing – selective laser sintering, laser powder bed fusion, binder jetting, and related processes – the quality of every printed layer depends directly on how the powder spreads and packs. Materials range from polymer powders such as PA12 and PEEK, through metal powders including titanium alloys, stainless steels, and aluminium alloys, to ceramics and emerging composite feedstocks. What they share is that their spreadability, packing density, and flow stability under recoating conditions are rarely predictable from particle size distribution or tap density alone.
Two challenges are particularly important to this sector. The first is sensitivity to recoater speed: a powder that spreads well at slow blade speeds may surge, segregate, or produce an uneven layer surface at higher production rates. The second is degradation on reuse: powders exposed to repeated thermal cycling in the build chamber change in morphology, particle size distribution, and surface chemistry – and these changes alter flow behaviour in ways that accumulate across build cycles. The Powder Flow Analyser measures both of these effects directly, characterising how spreading resistance, speed dependence, and caking tendency change as a function of processing history. Texture Analyser tests complement this by assessing agglomerate hardness and powder bed compaction response – both relevant to spreading defect prevention and layer stability.
Recommended test approach
Powder Flow Analyser – dynamic behaviour
|
Typical issue |
Recommended test |
Insight provided |
Why it matters |
|
Inconsistent layer density |
Bulk Density (conditioned) |
Repeatable packing behaviour |
Affects layer uniformity and part quality |
|
Poor powder spreading |
Cohesion (1 speed) |
Flowability and resistance to movement |
Leads to uneven layers and print defects |
|
Sensitivity to recoater speed |
Cohesion (4 speeds) |
Speed-dependent flow and stability |
Critical for repeatable layer deposition |
|
Segregation of particle size fractions |
Powder Flow Speed Dependence (PFSD) |
Speed-related segregation and aeration |
Impacts density and mechanical properties |
|
Powder bed packing and settling |
Compressibility |
Packing, relaxation, and elastic recovery |
Influences bed stability between layers |
|
Consolidation during storage or reuse |
Caking / Consolidation |
Cake formation and break-up energy |
Affects powder recyclability and reuse |
Texture Analyser – strength and bed stability
|
Typical issue |
Recommended test |
Insight provided |
Why it matters |
|
Powder bed strength |
Uniaxial Compression |
Stress–strain behaviour under load |
Supports stable layer formation |
|
Hard agglomerates |
Penetration / Hardness |
Resistance to break-up |
Prevents spreading defects |
|
Strength of consolidated powder |
Cake Break Test |
Mechanical robustness after rest |
Impacts reconditioning and reuse |
Powder problems are driven by movement, stress, and time. Dynamic flow and strength-based testing reveal behaviours that static tests cannot capture.
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