Investigation of the rotating drum technique to characterise powder flow in controlled and low pressure environments - 2020

Powder bed fusion, the most popular technique in metal additive manufacturing, utilises two main energy sources: laser or electron beam. The laser powder bed fusion process is typically conducted under inert gas-filled environment, while electron beam melting (EBM) process is operated in vacuum.

In this study, Mathieu Brochu and co-workers from McGill University investigated the influence of the atmosphere in the GranuDrum® cell on the powder flow. They investigated Inconel 625 and Ti6Al4V in atmospheric (air/ argon) and low-pressure environments. They found that the gas type did not affect the powders' dynamic flow behavior. However, a systematic difference existed in low-pressure environment especially with smaller particle size.