Swiss Steel Group offers range of metal powders for Additive Manufacturing
March 6, 2024
Swiss Steel Group, headquartered in Lucerne, Switzerland, has announced a range of gas-atomised metal powders developed for the Additive Manufacturing industry. The company is offering powders based on iron, nickel and cobalt as part of its Printdur brand, as well as low-and medium-alloy steels under its Bainidur AM line. A range of nickel-free powders suited to use in medical applications are available under its Medidur AM range.
Iron-based metal powder
The company’s iron-based powders for Additive Manufacturing are divided into austenitic, age-hardenable and martensitic grades. The austenitic grade Printdur 4404 is reported to provide high corrosion resistance and good oxidation resistance. Printdur 4545 and Printdur 4548 are focused on the combination of wear, corrosion and oxidation properties. Printdur Powderfort, Printdur 2343 and Printdur 2344 are suitable choices for increased wear resistance.
Nickel-based metal powder
Nickel-based metal powders, suited for applications that require high corrosion resistance, include Printdur Ni625. This alloy is said to offer good resistance to mineral acids such as nitric, phosphoric, sulphuric or hydrochloric acid, and is also corrosion resistant to alkalis and organic acids. Furthermore, in the solution-annealed condition, the material has good resistance to hot gas corrosion and high creep rupture strength above 600°C.
Cobalt-based metal powder
Printdur CoCrF7 is a cobalt-based metal powder that can be used in both high-temperature applications and medical technology. Printdur CoCrF75 reports excellent resistance to thermal shock and is resistant to oxidising and reducing atmospheres up to approximately 1150°C. Its properties also include very good biocompatibility and corrosion resistance.
Bainidur AM
The Bainidur AM line expands Swiss Steel Group’s portfolio of metal powders with low- and medium-alloy steels. These are intended to enable fast and efficient Additive Manufacturing of initial samples that also exhibit the subsequent component properties. Heat treatment and thermochemical surface treatments can be tested and optimised with the same material as in series production.
This line also supports the production of spare parts for which the original forging die is no longer available, due, in part, to the good conversion behaviour in the bainite structure.
Medidur AM
The newly developed material Medidur is an austenitic, patent-pending steel powder for Additive Manufacturing. The use of manganese is said to eliminate the need for nickel. The material is non-magnetic, corrosion-resistant and offers high strength, making it advantageous for medical applications.
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