Element expands powder characterisation for additive manufacturing
Element Materials Technology (Element) has expanded its powder characterisation capabilities for additive manufacturing at its Antwerp, Belgium laboratory.
Image courtesy Element
With the increasing application of powder bed fusion for series production, additive manufacturing has matured as an industrial manufacturing technology. In response to this, the Antwerp laboratory now offers full scope powder characterization services according to ISO/ASTM 52907.
Recent investments have expanded Element’s current offering through procurement of the latest equipment. The laboratory can now provide customers with new techniques and services for powder characterization including chemical composition, particle size distribution, morphology, contamination, flowability and characteristic densities.
Accurate determination of powder properties is the front end of quality assurance in the additive manufacturing process. Powder quality has a significant impact on the printing process and the properties of the printed material. The new investment enables Element to determine if the powders used for additive manufacturing are compliant and within specification limits, ensuring the quality of the final part.
Matt Hopkinson, EVP of EMEAA at Element, said: “3D printing is continuing to grow and feature across more and more industries and it’s important that Element responds accordingly in order to provide the best possible service to our customers.
“Antwerp’s new capabilities add to an extensive range of testing services for additive manufacturing that are unrivalled in Europe. This ensures we are best placed to provide essential testing services to a broad range of industries that utilize powder characterisation, including aerospace and medical devices.”
Element Antwerp is a BELAC (NEN-EN-ISO/IEC17025) accredited testing laboratory that supports customers from sectors including energy, aerospace, transportation and industrials. Element Antwerp is scheduled to be audited for Nadcap accreditation for its chemistry services in order to better service the aerospace market and customers.
Element’s engaged experts have over 10 years of experience in the field of additive manufacturing with a broad range of services related to powder qualification, material qualification and component testing.