New proposed standard for managing cleanliness of metal powder for AM
February 15, 2022
ASTM International, Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, USA, reports that its Additive Manufacturing technologies committee (F42) is developing a proposed standard that will help to control the cleanliness of metal powder feedstock used in Additive Manufacturing processes, in an effort to ensure the quality of final AM components.
The proposed standard will reportedly help AM users to perform cleanliness assessments of unused and re-used powders. According to ASTM International member Aneta Chrostek-Mroz, powder handling and processing practices used in AM, particularly during powder reuse, may lead to deterioration of powder properties through the introduction of contamination. This can result in inclusions and defects in final components.
“The proposed standard will help manufacturers and users of metal powder feedstock used in Additive Manufacturing to identify suitable methods for detecting and quantifying different types of contamination,” stated Chrostek-Mroz, research engineer at the MTC. “The guide will define and classify typical contamination that can be present within metal powder feedstock.”
The committee invites interested parties to help develop the proposed standard (WK80171). Technical experts with experience in cleanliness assessment and/or have researched contamination of metal powder used in AM are particularly encouraged to become involved.
Further details are available through the organisation’s website.
