Additive Manufacturing (AM) has garnered significant attention in recent years for the fabrication of metallic components. The processability and quality of AM-produced parts are strongly influenced by the flow behavior of feedstock powders. Therefore, a thorough understanding of powder flowability and its governing characteristics is essential for optimizing AM processes. In this study, spherical, fine metallic powders of IN625, Maraging steel, Hastelloy C-22, and STS316L with a uniform particle size distribution (PSD) were produced via gas atomization. The dynamic flowability of these powders was systematically evaluated as a function of their PSD and material properties. The results highlight the critical role of intrinsic material characteristics in determining flowability and powder performance, providing valuable insights into the selection and optimization of feedstock powders for AM applications.
Lee et al. (Thu,) studied this question.