Additive Manufacturing of Hard Metals by SEBM - SEBM-WC-Co

Project summary

Additive manufacturing via powder bed fusion is commercially available, but the choice of high-performance materials is limited. Using a novel approach to powder metallurgy and electron beam melting WC-Co parts will be produced. The objective is to develop a viable AM route for WC-Co cemented carbides. The AM process chosen is PBF by electron beam. Critical objectives for success in this project, include: Feedstock preparation exhibiting good flow properties, spheroidised for even bed filling; the SEBM parameters must be optimised; and finally the components will be field tested and performance compared to conventionally manufactured parts. Bar peeling inserts will be field tested. However, other industry sectors such as metal working have niche tooling requirements that are ideally suited to AM manufacture. The benefits will be increased knowledge and potential industrialisation of the process. Making niche market items that could not otherwise be manufactured or small batch items.