Equispheres released the results from the first phase of powder testing by a facility specializing in the certification of materials for aerospace, space and defense applications.  The results showed this powder allowed for a 50% increase in production speeds and a 20-30% increase in a-basis mechanical performance (a design allowance specification regulated in aerospace applications).

“The properties of our powder, including the high sphericity, narrow particle size distribution and low surface area results in significantly increased packing density.  This allows an increase of powder layer thickness by a factor of 2 which increases build speed,” said Dr. Martin Conlon, CTO, Equispheres. “Most importantly, this boost to build speed does not come with a mechanical performance penalty.  Instead, the uniform nature of our powder ensures that parts are produced with reliable and consistent mechanical properties.”

The comprehensive series of coupon printing and testing provided the following key technical results, contributing to overall faster production speeds and increased performance of produced parts:

• Layer thickness: 60 um
• Mechanical performance ‘as printed’:
  • Ultimate Tensile Strength (MPA):  449 ± 16
  • Yield Strength (MPA):  272 ± 12
  • Elongation (%):  6.4 ± 1.7

Equispheres CEO, Kevin Nicholds, now aims to get the powder onto the market on a larger scale with a focus on long-term partnerships, “The additive manufacturing industry has been struggling with slow production speeds and poor-quality feedstock. We are excited that our unique powder can help resolve both critical issues”

Equispheres:
www.equispheres.com