Making metal powders: Part 2 – Understanding water atomisation
May 4, 2022
The Spring 2022 issue of PM Review saw the second instalment of the series ‘How to make metal powders’ by Joe Strauss and John Dunkley. This edition builds on the overview of atomisation technologies in the first article to provide a deep dive into water atomisation and the powders produced by this method.
This well-established technology is used to produce a wide range of metal powders for many industrial applications, including press & sinter Powder Metallurgy and Metal Injection Moulding, and is now making inroads into metal Additive Manufacturing.
The article outlines the characteristics of water atomisation – including types of water atomisers, operating pressure, system parts – as well as the characteristics of the powders produced by water atomisation which make them suitable for MIM and AM.
While water atomisation is a robust process, and one of the most commonly used atomisation techniques, there are limits to its suitability. The suitability and limitations alike are honestly reviewed and explained in the second instalment of this article series.
To learn more, read ‘How to make metal powders. Part 2: Understanding water atomisation and water atomised powders’ in PM Review, Spring 2022.
