SINTERING POWDER METAL

NASA Aids AM’s Adoption

NASA has selected Elementum 3D (a developer and supplier of metal additive manufacturing (AM) advanced materials, print parameters, and services) to be one of four companies that will produce and distribute GRX-810 material under a commercial co-exclusive license. This is a material that has undergone significant post-processing heat treat research.

The 3D printable high-temperature metal superalloy material has been noted as “breakthrough technology” and will be offered to original equipment manufacturers of airplanes and rockets as well as the entire supply chain.

NASA’s goal of the licensing agreement is to accelerate the adoption of GRX-810 to benefit U.S. technologies, industry, and space exploration. The 3D printer supplier notes that engineers are eager to print with a material capable of creating lighter and thinner engine parts, reducing fuel burn, lowering operating costs, increasing durability, and lowering the tolerance for failure for critical applications.

GRX-810 is an oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloy that can endure higher temperatures and stress. Its strength is derived from the dispersion of tiny particles containing oxygen atoms. The breakthrough superalloy was specifically developed for the extreme temperatures and harsh conditions of aerospace applications, including liquid rocket engine injectors, combustors, turbines, and hot-section components, capable of enduring temperatures up to 1,100°C. Compared to other alloys, GRX-810 can endure higher temperatures and stress up to 2,500 times longer. It’s also 3.5 times better at flexing before breaking and twice as resistant to oxidation damage.

Jeremy Iten Chief Technology Officer Elementum 3D Source: LinkedIn

Over the past nine years, Elementum 3D has gained extensive knowledge and experience in developing, commercializing, and distributing “impossible-to-print” dispersion-strengthened materials similar to GRX-810.

“We are excited to be working with Tim Smith and NASA to bring this exceptional new alloy to the commercial market,” said Jeremy Iten, chief technology officer at Elementum 3D.

NASA’s investment in developing GRX-810 demonstrates its dedication to advancing additive manufacturing. Elementum 3D and the other co-exclusive licensees now assume the responsibility of investing the time and resources to supply the industry with a stronger, more durable superalloy.

The original press release is available here.


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Sintering Considerations: Vacuum vs. HIP

Source: TAV Vacuum Furnaces

When processing cemented carbide, there are a few considerations you need to understand to use the proper sintering equipment. One of the biggest factors is the actual material; what is the colbalt content level of the processed material?

In this best of the web article, walk through the steps of dewaxing, sintering for appropriate densification, and the processing temperatures that are required for sintering cemented carbide.

An Excerpt:

“Other than mechanical stresses due to the differential pressure between inside and ambient pressure outside the furnace, operating at relatively high temperatures with high pressure of gas would lead to significant dissipations of heat to the external environment. This is not only anti-economic from an efficiency point of view, but could also compromise the structural integrity of the water-cooled steel vessel of the furnace by overheating it.”

Read the entire article from TAV Vacuum Furnaces, written by Giorgio Valsecchi, by clicking here: “SINTERING OF CEMENTED CARBIDE: A USER-FRIENDLY OVERVIEW – PT.2


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IperionX and Vegas Fastener To Co-Produce Titanium Fasteners for US Army

IperionX Limited and Vegas Fastener Manufacturing, LLC (Vegas Fastener) have agreed to partner to develop and manufacture titanium alloy fasteners and precision components with IperionX’s advanced titanium products.

The commercial focus of this partnership is on developing and manufacturing titanium alloy fasteners and precision components for the U.S. Army Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC), which is the United States Armed Forces’ research and development facility for advanced technology in ground systems. GSVC’s research and development includes robotics, autonomy, survivability, power, mobility, intelligent systems, maneuver support and sustainment.

Additionally, the partners will design, engineer and produce titanium fasteners for critical sectors such as the aerospace, naval, oil & gas, power generation, pulp & paper and chemical sectors. These sectors demand fasteners that provide not only high strength-to-weight ratios but also exceptional corrosion resistance for high-performance applications.

Vegas Fastener, headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, is a global leader in the development and manufacturing of high-performance fasteners and custom machined components. Together with its allied company, PowerGen Components, Vegas Fastener serves a diverse array of customers in the defense, marine, power generation, oil & gas, nuclear, chemical, and water infrastructure sectors. Vegas Fastener develops and manufactures precision high-performance fasteners using specialized alloys to meet demanding quality specifications.

IperionX’s leading titanium technology portfolio includes high-performance near-net shape titanium products, semi-finished titanium products, spherical titanium powder for additive manufacturing and metal injection molding, and angular titanium powder for a wide range of advanced manufacturing applications. These innovative patented technologies allow for sustainability and process energy efficiencies over the traditional Kroll titanium production process.

Image above: High-performance fasteners manufactured by Vegas Fastener

This press release is available in its original form here.


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HIP Adds Abilities to R&D Manufacturing Hub

A hot isostatic press will add a new capability to the research infrastructure already in place at the Sydney Manufacturing Hub (SMH), the advanced manufacturing research facility at the University of Sydney, Australia.

Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) has become a critically important technology for the densification of unconventional microstructures associated with additive manufacturing (AM) across a broad spectrum of industries. It has proven of particular value in developing high-performance materials and building advanced metallic structures for mission-critical applications, for example within the aerospace, hypersonics, defense, biomedicine, energy, mining & minerals, and oil & gas sectors.

According to Professor Simon Ringer, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research Infrastructure) at University of Sydney, the SMH (as a research facility) is focused on offering the broadest possible range of advanced manufacturing capabilities, aiming to support the entire AM workflow from design right through to final part conformity in one facility.

“This [Quintus Technologies] hot isostatic press delivers enormous uplift in our university’s contribution to the national advanced manufacturing capability,” states Prof. Ringer. “It aligns critically with our own initiatives such as at the Sydney Biomedical Accelerator and our Net Zero Initiative. Moreover, this is a nationally significant capability that will allow our researchers to partner with industry to blaze new trails in manufacturing-related R&D.”

HIP vessel from Quintus Technologies
The Quintus Hot Isostatic Press going to the Sydney Manufacturing Hub is equipped with URQ® and URC® technology.
Source: Quintus Technologies

The SMH selected the press model QIH 15L M URQ® + URC®, equipped with several proprietary features that streamline the HIP process and produce finished 3D printed parts with maximized theoretical density, ductility, and fatigue resistance. Uniform Rapid Quenching® (URQ) delivers an impressive cooling rate of 103K/minute while minimizing thermal distortion and nonuniform grain growth. HPHT™ (High Pressure Heat Treatment) combines stress-relief annealing, HIP, high-temperature solution-annealing (SA), high pressure gas quenching (HPGQ), and subsequent aging or precipitation hardening (PH) in one integrated furnace cycle.

Quintus’s strong focus on materials science and materials processing research, exemplified by the URQ functionality, was of special interest to the Sydney hub, Prof. Ringer relates. He also cites the intrinsic safety of the vessel and yoke design, along with the rapid cycle time for processing AM parts, as major benefits for the facility, which is geared to enable concept-to-production demonstration capabilities.

“Our new HIP capability will address a significant gap in the AM community in the Australian region and further offer the potential for SMEs (small and medium enterprises) and start-up companies to access this critical process,” Prof. Ringer adds.

SMH’s broad user base extends from its own researchers to those from other local universities and research organizations to private industry and collaborations with international institutions.

Jan Söderström
CEO
Quintus Technologies

“As the industry leader in advanced hot isostatic pressing technology for over 70 years, we have noted exceptional interest in new manufacturing approaches that improve quality, lower cost, and reduce environmental impacts,” says Jan Söderström, CEO of Quintus Technologies. “We are excited to work with the talented researchers at the Sydney Manufacturing Hub to deepen their expertise and refine processes for pressure-supported heat treatment, laying the foundation to advance both productivity and sustainability for operations in Australia and its neighbors.”

The hot zone of the model QIH 15L M URC® measures 7.32 inches (186 mm) in diameter and 19.7 inches (500 mm) high. The press operates at a maximum pressure of 207 MPa (30,000 psi) and a maximum temperature of 2,552°F (1,400°C). It will be installed in the Hub’s purpose-built facility on the University of Sydney’s Darlington campus in January 2025.

This press release is available in its original form here.


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High-Performance Metals Developed for DMLS Processing

 

Source: ETMM Online

 

A nickel-based heat resistant alloy that is very strong, corrosion resistant, and can be used at temperatures between -422°F and 1300°F has recently been released by a German specialist in custom prototypes and low-volume production parts.

Inconel 718 and Maraging Steel 1.2709 will expand Protolabs’ list of Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) materials that make up a wide range of metals available for rapid prototyping and the manufacture of functional end-use parts with complex geometries.

The high-temperature strength of Inconel 718 is derived from its ability to create a thick, stable passivating oxide layer at high temperatures, protecting the material from further attack. Inconel, which has good tensile, fatigue, creep and rupture strength, is thus ideal for the aerospace and heavy industries–particularly, in the production of jet engines, rocket engine components, gas turbine parts, instrumentation parts, power and process parts and related equipment that are exposed to extreme environments.

 

Photo credit/caption: Protolabs/Inconel 718 is a superalloy used in the development of turbojet engines for aircraft, among a variety of other applications.

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Powder Metal Manufacturer Expands in PA

Jude Pfingstler, President of Atlas Pressed Metals

Construction is underway at a powder metal and sintered parts manufacturing plant in Dubois, Pennsylvania, which will more than double the facility’s square footage and is intended to adapt to growth with the installation of new equipment, such as larger tonnage presses.

Atlas Pressed Metals, which manufactures complex and simple structural iron, sinter-hardened steel, stainless, copper, brass, and bronze components utilizing the pressed metal (also known as sintered metal and powder metal) process, partners with heat treatment providers in supplying powder metal components for the automotive, transportation, industrial equipment, and electric motors markets.

“New equipment for the addition will enable Atlas to grow our capacity in multi-level and higher tonnage equipment,” said Jude Pfingstler, president of Atlas Pressed Metals.

 

Construction begins for Atlas Pressed Metals in Dubois, PA

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Vacuum Heat Treatment’s Role in Additive Manufacturing (AM) 3D Printing

BOTW-50w  Source:  Global Heat Treatment Network

“Vacuum heat treatment tasks for AM manufactured parts is the same process as  traditional subtractive manufacturing and its purpose is to assure AM parts has the correct physical and metallurgical properties for specific applications.  In some cases, when a bidder is involved, the purpose of the heat treatment process is to deciding and sinter parts. Most vacuum furnaces use up to 800°C degrees to relieve stress and a higher temperature of up to 1800°C for other processes.

Vacuum furnaces with high vacuum levels are preferred to heat treatment equipment to process AM parts. AM parts made from Titanium, Cobalt, Aluminum require vacuum levels of up to 10-6 mbar with 99.9995 Argon purity.  Argon is the preferred gas because of its neutrality and that it has no adverse reaction with the above alloy components.  Creating an Alfa surface layer on titanium parts is not desirable and should be avoided.

The small parts and small production volume influences vacuum furnaces of small to medium size. The next challenge for the heat treatment industry is to integrate heat treatment process into the AM equipment in one continuous process.”

Read More:  Amazing Vacuum Furnaces:  Vacuum Heat Treatment’s Role in Additive Manufacturing 3D Printing by Janusz Kowalewski

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Heat Treating Involved in Production of Speakers

BOTW-50w  Source:  ETMM The Website

“One look at the back of the part told me it was filled with one sub-gate (see Figure 2). In the US at the time, we were trying to pack out this type of speaker grill with 12-drop systems, which resulted in poor fill and a lot of stress in the piece. In Japan, mouldmakers were using a mould material developed to enhance venting. This was a steel manufactured with interconnecting pores so the gas could pass through the seemingly solid piece of metal. To make this steel, powder metal was combined with metal fibers for added strength, cold-pressed into master blocks measuring 215 by 300 by 650 mm, sintered and heat-treated to 35 HRC. It was available with average pore diameter of either 7 or 20 microns; porosity averaged 25 percent of the mass of the block. Other materials available at the time ranged from porous ceramics to sintered porous vent buttons.”

Read More: The Potential of Enhanced Venting Materials by Tom Schade

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