Additive Manufacturing Powder with Bimodal Particle Size Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing powder materials for additive manufacturing often face challenges in achieving both high flowability and high packing density, leading to non-uniform distribution of constituent materials in manufactured three-dimensional objects, with high flowability not necessarily ensuring high packing density.
Innovation Solution
A powder material with a specific particle size distribution, where the 10% particle diameter (d10) is less than 16 μm and the 90% particle diameter (d90) is more than 35 μm, and a specific energy normalized by bulk density (SE/ρb) value is less than 0.47 mJ·ml/g2, ensuring both high flowability and packing density, potentially including nanoparticles for enhanced flowability, produced using a gas atomization method without classification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fine particles are removed by classification to increase flowability, then flowability is improved, but packing density deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the particle size distribution parameters by controlling d10 to be less than 16 μm and d90 to be more than 35 μm, creating a specific bimodal distribution that simultaneously achieves high flowability and high packing density without requiring classification removal of fine particles
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite particle size distribution system combining fine particles (d10 < 16 μm) and coarse particles (d90 > 35 μm) in specific proportions, where the fine particles fill voids between coarse particles to achieve high packing density while maintaining flowability
2Manufacturing precision
If powder material is spread smoothly for uniform powder bed formation, then flowability is improved, but packing density may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes particle size distribution parameters (d10 < 16 μm, d90 > 35 μm) to create a bimodal distribution that enables both smooth powder bed formation and high packing density, resolving the contradiction between uniformity and density
3Ease of operation
If classification is performed to remove fine powders, then flowability is increased, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of removing fine particles through classification as in conventional methods, the invention inverts the approach by intentionally retaining and utilizing fine particles (d10 < 16 μm) in a controlled bimodal distribution to achieve both flowability and uniformity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The powder material achieves high uniformity and density in three-dimensional objects by balancing flowability and packing density, allowing for smooth formation of a powder bed with reduced defects and improved microstructure uniformity.
Implementation Method 1
producing method for the powder material, including a gas atomization step of producing the metal particles by a gas atomization method
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a powder material including metal particles, in which in a mass basis cumulative particle size distribution, the metal particles have a 10% particle diameter d10 of less than 16 μm and a 90% particle diameter d90 of more than 35 μm and when a specific energy obtained as a value yielded by dividing a flow energy measured as an energy acting on a blade spiraling upward in the powder material by a mass of the powder material is normalized with a bulk density of the powder material, a resulting value is less than 0.47 mJ·ml/g2 and relates to a producing method for the same.