​Metal additive manufacturing (AM) technologies present great opportunities for current and future manufacturing. Their impact on new product development, product quality and manufacturing costs can be significant for the right applications. Their digital and layer-wise attributes also have the potential to significantly improve supply chain dynamics and shorten delivery lead times. Using AM technology, manufacturers can produce parts on demand in locations that can be chosen to minimise transport or feedstock costs [1].

The powder chain goes hand-in-hand with the AM processing chain. It is a reciprocal and interdependent relationship whereby powder properties impact on the processing characteristics (spreading, melting…) and where, in return, the processing steps and efficiency affect the powder characteristics.

This close intertwined relationship complicate the control of the AM process and  can dramatically influence the final components properties or the recyclability efficiency of the powder.
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So how do you prevent powder contamination or properties variations?

Metal powder costs will be the biggest continuous expense through the life of an AM machine [1]. Under these circumstances, a customer has a number of considerations to make when defining powder requirements and deciding where to procure it.

​Post-build hot iso-static pressing (HIP) has become a common practice for the closure of some types of defects in AM metal components. Assuming your products lend themselves to HIPing, can this post-processing method get rid of all porosity?