Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a new abrasion-based method of producing metal powders for 3D printing. The approach is designed to provide an alternative to atomization, the technique by which most metal powders are currently produced. In atomization, a gas or water jet is used to break up a molten stream of metal into tiny droplets, which form powder particles once cooled. Unfortunately, despite it being the gold standard in the industry, atomization-based powder production can suffer from poor material yield, it can be cost-inefficient, and it’s only compatible with a limited number of metals. The IISc approach aims to address these shortcomings. Priti Ranjan Panda, a Ph.D. student at IISc’s Centre for Product Design and Manufacturing, said, “We have an alternative, more economical and inherently scalable route for making metal powders, and the quality of the final powders appear to be very competitive when… read more