Precursor Material Qualification (metal powders)
[Methods to help address variability] The lack of repeatable process outcomes from additive manufacturing (AM) has been broadly acknowledged as an impediment to widespread implementation. While most R&D efforts have been focused on in-process parameters and metrics and how they both relate to final part properties (e.g., microstructure, mechanical properties), much less focus has been placed on the precursor material. The Additive Manufacturing Standards Collaboration (AMSC) has identified ten gaps in the standardization of characterization of precursor material (PCM), of which five are deemed a ‘medium’ or ‘high’ priority indi...