US Patent granted to Elmet for tungsten alloy powders for AM
Elmet Technologies, Lewiston, Maine, USA, has received US Patent No 12,359,290, ‘Tungsten Heavy Metal Alloy Powders and Methods of Forming Them,’ its fifth patent for powders for powder bed Additive Manufacturing technologies such as Binder Jetting as well as other Powder Metallurgy applications.
The newly patented process leverages advanced spray drying and optional plasma densification techniques to produce spherical, flowable, and highly densified composite particles. This material structure is intended to improve powder bed uniformity and thermal conductivity during sintering – advantages when manufacturing parts for aerospace, defence, and industry where mechanical strength and precision are critical.
“This patent reinforces Elmet Technologies’ commitment to materials innovation,” stated Mike Stawovy, co-inventor and Director of Research & Development at Elmet Technologies. “Our approach enhances the production of tungsten heavy alloy powders with exceptional flowability and chemical uniformity – features essential to achieving repeatable, high-quality parts through Additive Manufacturing.”
The new patent covers tailored alloy compositions, including 90% tungsten with carefully controlled additions of nickel, iron, copper, cobalt, or manganese.
Compared to other processes, Elmet’s latest process is said to produce substantially spherical particles with a reduced porosity and enhanced flow rate (as low as 7 seconds/50 g by Hall flow method). The plasma-treated particles are capable of reaching up to 65% of theoretical density, minimising shrinkage and defects during sintering.
In addition, Elmet has positioned the technology to address a long-standing challenge in metal Additive Manufacturing: producing highly pure, flowable powders that retain their shape and properties under extreme processing conditions.
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