Powder flowability characterisation at preheating temperature in additive manufacturing

ABSTRACT

The powder spreading process is usually performed at preheating temperature in powder-bed-based additive manufacturing (AM). Thus, the powder flowability characterisation at preheating temperature is important for powder spreading processes. However, devices for traditional powder flowability characterising methods are mainly designed for specific conditions at room temperature and cannot consider the effect of temperature on powder flowability. In this work, an experimental platform with a heated rotating drum was set up and a high-speed camera was used to record powder avalanche processes in a heated rotating drum for the powder flowability characterisation at preheating temperature. Nylon and stainless steel powder flowability at different temperatures was assessed by the statistical analysis of avalanche angle, avalanche time, arithmetic mean deviation and surface linearity of powder surface profile. Four parameters provide a good characterisation of powder flowability. The results can provide guidance for the powder flowability characterisation method at preheating temperature in AM.

KEYWORDS:

• Additive manufacturing
• powder flowability
• preheating temperature
• a heated rotating drum
• powder avalanche processes

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The authors would like to acknowledge the high-level introduction of talent research start-up fund of Henan University of Technology [grant number 2023BS020].