Optimising powder feedstocks in additive manufacturing

Freeman Technology specialises in systems for measuring the flow properties of powders and has over 20 years’ experience in powder flow and powder characterisation. The company invests significantly in R&D and applications development, and provides detailed know-how to support its range of products. Expert teams guide and support users around the world in addressing their individual powder challenges, focusing on delivering the most relevant information for the process. The result is world-leading solutions for understanding powder behaviour - in development, formulation, scale-up, processing, quality control, or anywhere that powders have a role. Freeman Technology’s solutions include the FT4 Powder Rheometer®, a uniquely universal powder tester, and the Uniaxial Powder Tester, a complementary tool for quick and robust powder assessment. Systems are installed around the world in the chemical, pharmaceutical, toners, foods, powder coatings, metals, ceramics, cosmetics, and many other industries. They deliver data that maximise process and product understanding, accelerating R&D and formulation towards successful commercialisation, and supporting the long term optimisation of powder processes. Founded in 1989 as a developer of automated testing systems for materials characterisation, the company has focused exclusively on powders since the late 1990s and in 2018 became part of Micromeritics Instrument Corporation.

Using the FT4 Powder Rheometer® to answer the question ‘Can I print with this powder?’ Recently published papers (see references below) highlight the potential to use multiple properties measurable with the FT4 Powder Rheometer® from Freeman Technology, a Micromeritics company, to quantify an Additive Manufacturing Suitability (AMS) factor capable of ranking the printability of metal powders in laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) processes. Can I print with this powder? Answering the question ‘Can I print with this?’ is vital for those working with popular AM processes such as LPBF but can be surprisingly difficult. The AMS factor approach is simple, effective, and efficient. It combines dynamic, shear and bulk powder properties measured with the FT4 into a single metric to sensitively differentiate printability in a way that conventional powder testers cannot. This valuable approach is summarised in a new application note which is freely available for download. Measuring instead of trying AM powders, in development or alternative commercial supplies,

The rapid growth of battery production shows that controlling and manipulating the powder properties is crucial to achieving the highest battery performance. Freeman Technology highlights the latest sector to invest heavily in powder testing technology, as sales soar. Freeman Technology, a Micromeritics company and the global leaders in powder characterisation technology, has revealed new insight into which sectors are investing most heavily in powder testing, and by extension working particularly intensively on powder-related innovation. Rapid sales growth and repeat sales to major battery/car manufacturers represent a major shift in usage patterns and indicate that learning how to control and manipulate powder properties is critical for those targeting the highest levels of battery performance. “Up to a few years ago our sales to those making batteries - standalone manufacturers and car companies – were fairly limited,” said Mr Jamie Clayton, Operation Director, Freeman Technology, “but they now represent a sizeable percentage of our business. Furthermore, multiple/repeat sales suggest use has transitioned

Invitation to attend event Freeman Technology and Malvern Panalytical will be hosting an ‘Understanding Powders for Additive Manufacturing’ seminar on the 24th September 2019 at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, UK. To access the full agenda please visit the Freeman Technology website - one-day event will provide an introduction to the principles of powder rheology and how the associated methodologies can be applied to understand and optimise additive manufacturing applications. The seminar will have a range of presentations including: - 'Evaluating Process-Relevant Powder Properties for Additive Manufacturing Applications' - Jamie Clayton, Operations Director, Freeman Technology - 'Measuring and Optimising Powder Size and Shape for Additive Manufacturing' - Dr Cathryn Langley, Product Manager, Malvern Panalytical - 'Using X-Rays to see Inside your Powdered Materials and Processes' - Dr Paul O Meara, Applications Specialist, Malvern Panalytical Delegates will also have the opportunity