Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing Using Critical Raw Materials: A Review

Abstract

The term “critical raw materials” (CRMs) refers to various metals and nonmetals that are crucial to Europe’s economic progress. Modern technologies enabling effective use and recyclability of CRMs are in critical demand for the EU industries. The use of CRMs, especially in the fields of biomedicine, aerospace, electric vehicles, and energy applications, is almost irreplaceable. Additive manufacturing (also referred to as 3D printing) is one of the key enabling technologies in the field of manufacturing which underpins the Fourth Industrial Revolution. 3D printing not only suppresses waste but also provides an efficient buy-to-fly ratio and possesses the potential to entirely change supply and distribution chains, significantly reducing costs and revolutionizing all logistics. This review provides comprehensive new insights into CRM-containing materials processed by modern additive manufacturing techniques and outlines the potential for increasing the efficiency of CRMs utilization and reducing the dependence on CRMs through wider industrial incorporation of AM and specifics of powder bed AM methods making them prime candidates for such developments.

Texturing and Phase Evolution in Ti-6Al-4V: Effect of Electron Beam Melting Process, Powder Re-Using, and HIP Treatment

“…The additional motivation of the research is the fact of powder ‘aging’ and oxidation while recycling in powder bed fusion (PBF). The recommended procedure is to mix/add the new powder in re-used powder while recycling [ 27 ]. We propose an alternative approach to how the severely recycled powder can be effectively used for industrial applications.…”

Critical Raw Materials Saving by Protective Coatings under Extreme Conditions: A Review of Last Trends in Alloys and Coatings for Aerospace Engine Applications

“…Additive manufacturing (AM) of metal alloys and the use of secondary raw materials (recovered through recycling technologies) are two other important approaches contributing to face CRMs shortage. However, recycling is out of the scope of the present manuscript, and additive manufacturing will be only briefly mentioned, being more extensively discussed in [10] by some of the authors of this manuscript. Our review will be manly focused on Niand Ti-based alloys used in aerospace turbines and, especially, on the use of coatings on these alloys.…”

Powder Reuse Cycles in Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion—Variation of Powder Characteristics

“…When looking at powder feedstock for powder bed fusion (PBF) processes, Popov et al [ 2 ] identified that some of the fundamental powder characteristics that need to be assessed include shape, particle size, composition, gas infusions, flowability, tendency to oxidize, and sintering/melting conditions.…”