This study examines the impact of varying oxidation levels in nickel-based Haynes 282 powder on particle degradation during laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB|M). Four powder batches with oxygen content levels of approximately from 140 ppm to1400 ppm were processed using PBF-LB|M. A powder collection container was fabricated to sample unmelted powder from heat-affected regions of the powder bed. Recoating and melting proceeded without issues; however, increased fume emissions were observed at higher oxidation levels, indicating intensified spatter formation. Post-process analysis revealed that finer particles exhibited greater surface oxidation due to their higher surface-to-volume ratio. Despite significant oxygen uptake, chemical analysis showed no measurable changes in key alloying elements in either the unmelted or spatter particles. Additionally, changes in particle size distribution became more pronounced at high oxidation levels. These findings provide a basis for understanding oxidation-driven degradation and optimizing powder reuse strategies to maintain material performance.
Reuse of powder in powder bed additive manufacturing is a common practice to enhance sustainability and reduce costs. However, the reusability of metal powder is limited by the oxidation of the powders. Even in a protective atmosphere, each build job leads to gradual oxidation of the powder, which has led to concerns about its impact on powder and part properties. Consequently, strict confidence intervals for oxygen content in nickel-based alloy feedstocks are enforced in the industry. Despite this, there is currently a lack of in-depth studies investigating the specific influence of oxygen on Haynes 282, a widely used nickel-based alloy. This study examines artificially aged Haynes 282 powder batches with oxygen content of 160 ppm, 330 ppm, 1050 ppm, and 1420 ppm. Detailed powder characterization was performed, including morphology, chemical composition, particle size, flowability, and packing behavior. Components were fabricated via PBF-LB/M to evaluate density and mechanical properties. The results showed that higher oxidation levels improved powder flowability and packing density. However, in manufactured parts, irregular melt tracks and increased surface roughness were observed, which could easily be removed by post-processing. No significant differences in density or mechanical properties at room temperature, such as tensile strength and elongation, were found. These findings indicate that H282 powder potentially remains suitable for reuse, even when the batches exhibit increased oxygen content, supporting discussions on revising the existing oxygen content confidence intervals for nickel-based alloys. The results highlight the potential for optimizing recycling strategies and reducing material waste in additive manufacturing processes.
During the production of ship propellers, considerable quantities of grinding chips from nickel aluminium bronze areproduced. This paper examines the mechanical comminution of such chips via impact whirl milling and the utilization of twochip-powder batches as feedstock for a laser-based directed energy deposition process. The materials are characterized viadigital image analysis, standardized flowability tests, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopyand are compared to conventional, gas atomized powder. The specimens deposited via directed energy deposition areanalyzed for density, hardness and microstructure and tensile properties for vertical and horizontal build up directions arecompared. At elevated mill rotation speeds, the comminution with impact whirl milling produced rounded particles, favorableflow properties and particle size distribution, making them suitable to deposit additive specimens. The microstructureexhibited characteristic martensitic phases due to the high cooling rates of the additive manufacturing process. The presenceof ceramic inclusions was observed in both the powder and on the tensile fracture surfaces, partly impairing the mechanicalproperties. However, specimens in the vertical build-up direction (Z) showed competitive tensile results, with 775 MPa intensile strength, 455 MPa in yield strength and 12.6 % elongation at break. The findings of this study indicate that recyclingof machining chips to additive manufacturing feedstock can be a viable option for reducing material costs and environmentalimpact.
During the production of ship propellers, considerable quantities of grinding chips from nickel aluminium bronze are produced. This paper examines the mechanical comminution of such chips via impact whirl milling and the utilization of two chip-powder batches as feedstock for a laser-based directed energy deposition process. The materials are characterized via digital image analysis, standardized flowability tests, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and are compared to conventional, gas atomized powder. The specimens deposited via directed energy deposition are analyzed for density, hardness and microstructure and tensile properties for vertical and horizontal build up directions are compared. At elevated mill rotation speeds, the comminution with impact whirl milling produced rounded particles, favorable flow properties and particle size distribution, making them suitable to deposit additive specimens. The microstructure exhibited characteristic martensitic phases due to the high cooling rates of the additive manufacturing process. The presence of ceramic inclusions was observed in both the powder and on the tensile fracture surfaces, partly impairing the mechanical properties. However, specimens in the vertical build-up direction (Z) showed competitive tensile results, with 775 MPa in tensile strength, 455 MPa in yield strength and 12.6 % elongation at break. The findings of this study indicate that recycling of machining chips to additive manufacturing feedstock can be a viable option for reducing material costs and environmental impact.
Abstract
In the post-processing of large maritime components, a considerable amount of waste in the form of milling and grinding chips is produced. At the same time, additive manufacturing technologies have shown great potential in producing high-volume parts for maritime applications, allowing novel design approaches and short lead times. In this context, this study presents a sustainable approach to recycle and use aluminium bronze waste material, generated during post-processing of large cast ship propellers, as feedstock for laser-powder directed energy deposition. The recycling technology used to produce powder batches is inductive re-melting in combination with ultrasonic atomization. The derived metal powders are characterized using digital image analysis, powder flowability tests, scanning electron microscopy as well as energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Compared to conventional metal powders produced by gas atomization, the recycled material shows excellent sphericity and a powder size distribution with a higher content of finer and coarser particles. Metallographic sections of deposited additively produced specimens show an increased hardness and reduced ductility, but also competitive densities and higher yield and ultimate tensile strength compared to cast material. The process chain shows high potential for the maritime sector to enable circular and sustainable manufacturing.
In the manufacturing process of ship propellers, large quantities of grinding chips are generated. These grinding chips result from the finishing of the blade surfaces after the primary casting process of the propeller. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare different preparation processes used to produce chip powders with sufficient powder quality for the additive manufacturing process of directed energy deposition. The preparation of the samples was performed through different sieving, milling and re-melting processes. For the characterization of the prepared samples, powder analysis according to relevant industry standards was carried out. It was found that the re-melting processes result in superior powder quality for additive manufacturing in terms of particle size, morphology, and flowability. For some characteristics, the powder exhibits even better properties than those of commercial powders. Furthermore, the powder properties of the milled samples demonstrate a promising potential for u
