Research of the possibility of using an electrical discharge machining metal powder in selective laser melting

In this paper the research of a Ni-20Cr-10Fe-3Ti (heat-resistant) alloy metal powder conducted for use in a selective laser melting technology. This metal powder is the slime after electric discharge machining. The technology of cleaning and melting the powder discussed in this article. As a control input of the powder, immediately before 3D printing, dimensional analysis, surface morphology and the internal structure of the powder particles after the treatment were examined using optical and electron microscopes. The powder granules are round, oval, of different diameters with non-metallic inclusions. The internal structure of the particles is solid with no apparent defects. The content of the required diameter of the total volume of test powder granules was 15%. X-ray fluorescence analysis of the powder materials carried out. The possibility of powder melting was investigated in the selective laser melting machine 'SLM 280HL'. A selection of the melting modes based on the physical properties of the Ni-20Cr-10Fe-3Ti alloy, data obtained from similar studies and a mathematical model of the process. Conclusions on the further investigation of the possibility of using electric discharge machining slime were made. (paper)