Apr 12, 2016 | By Alec
As regular readers have doubtlessly noticed, the quality of metal 3D printing technology is progressing with leaps and bounds, to the point that engineering giants such as Airbus are increasingly using the technology to study new innovation possibilities. But the growing importance of metal 3D printing can also be seen in the metal powder industry, where more and more products specifically intended for 3D printing are being developed. The Swedish metal powder expert Höganäs has just unveiled another one of those products: 17-4 PH stainless steel powder, specifically intended for digital metal 3D printing.
But of course metal powders are used for a lot more than 3D printing. This is reflected in the products of Swedish experts Höganäs, which was established back in 1797 as a coal mining businesses. Today, they sell more than 1,500 different metal powder products all over the world, all used in a very wide spectrum of applications that includes welding, metallurgy, iron fortification, brazing, surface coating and a numerous chemical processes.
But with metal 3D printing gaining popularity for the development of dental, medical, aerospace, automobile and other industrial applications, this market is becoming increasingly important for Höganäs. Though they are offering various 3D printable metal powders already, they have now expanded their range with high performance 17-4 PH stainless steel, which has been specifically developed for Digital Metal 3D printing technology. This is a rarely seen metal 3D printing technology that it is perfectly suited for the production of very small and complex objects that would be costly, if not impossible, to produce using traditional metal production techniques.
The company already sold other stainless steel powders suitable for 3D printing, including 316L – the type of steel used for watches, for instance. However, 17-4 PH is a far more suitable for industrial applications thanks to its exceptional strength and hardness properties, as can be seen in the table above. Several of its characteristics, such as its excellent corrosion resistance and good mechanical properties at high temperatures, also make 17-4 PH superior to the frequently used 400 series of ferritic stainless steels. 17-4 PH is already widely used for aerospace, chemical, and metalworking applications, and is now thus also available for 3D printing through Höganäs.
Posted in 3D Printing Materials
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That's pretty cool but why the eff not go straight to aermet 100?