Multiple recycling of nickel alloy powder for selective laser melting process: influence on properties of the powder and printed material

Purpose The purpose of this study is the 16-fold recycling process effect of VZH159 nickel alloy powder on its features and characteristics of the printed material obtained by selective laser melting (SLM). Chemical composition, content of gas impurities, powder grading, pore volume fraction and surface morphology of powder particles, structure and properties of SLM material, surface roughness and deviations from specified geometry of the test samples were investigated. Design/methodology/approach The experiment’s method procedure presumes the use of only recycled powder without adding any virgin powder at each build cycle. To avoid powder sloughing because of incomplete filling of the build space, a print area delimiter was used. For all manufactured samples, hot isostatic pressing was carried out in an ASEA Quintus-16 facility. Heat treatment was carried out in air furnaces. Structure investigations were carried out on a Leica DMIRM metallographic complex. Microstructure studies were carried out on a Verios 460 scanning electron microscope with X-ray microanalysis. Findings With the number of recycling stages, an increase in oxygen content is observed in the powder, which leads to an increment for oxides in the printed material. The 16-fold recycling does not have a significant effect on the features of the powder itself and the printed material if the build space is filled with manufacturing parts by no more than 20%. Originality/value The creep rupture strength of the SLM material, which appears to be a sensitive characteristic to the quality of the applied powder, does not change in the printed material after all stages of powder recycling as well.