Puris, LLC, Minimizing Contamination in Titanium Gas Atomization

Minimizing Contamination in Titanium Gas Atomization

Presented by: Eric Bono, VP Engineering SolutionsRequest the white paper: [email protected], 412-260-8048

Puris LLC created breakthroughs in the purity of titanium powder with technology innovations and by implementing stringent quality standards from end-to-end beginning with feedstock quality through manufacturing and maintenance processes.

©Puris, LLC 2014, www.purisllc.com 3

Meet Puris:

• 55,000 sq. ft. facility• Large production capacity

offers single-source for high volume demands

• Powder production: Puris gas atomizer and plasma arc melter

• Additive manufacturing: 2 Ex-One 3D M-Flex printers

ISO 9001 certifiedAS 9100 certified

The Puris Patent-PendingAll-Titanium Gas Atomizer

Video courtesy of: Dr. Iver Anderson, AMES Lab

Idealization of Sheet Breakup

Gas Atomization

Gas Atomization : Flowing molten titanium through a high pressure inert gas (argon) in order to break molten stream into droplets that solidify in-flight to become fully alloyed spherical powder particles.

Advantages of Gas Atomization

1. Powder Morphology: Spherical Particles Free flowing Ideal for additive manufacturing and powder injection

molding

2. Wide Particle Size Distribution (PSD) High packing density

3. Chemistry Control Pure, homogeneous Customizable Satisfy stringent application requirements

4. Capacity Flexibility Production supports large industrial needs as well as

smaller R&D projects

Review state-of-the-art technologies and procedures for identifying and minimizing contamination risks in titanium powder manufacturing

Sources of Contamination

1. Refractory in system2. Iron pickup 3. Cross-contamination4. Raw material

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Refractory in System

Problem

Refractory material used in crucible and nozzle of most systems. Such contamination greatly compromises fatigue performance.

Puris Solution

Puris eliminates risk by eliminating presence of refractory in its system altogether.


Iron Pickup

Problem

Atomizers are constructed of stainless steel. When hot powder impinges tower walls, cones and piping, it strips off small amounts of steel that bond to and contaminate the powder.

Puris Solution

Puris’s patent-pending gas atomizer uses titanium for all components impinged by powder, including tower walls, cone and piping.

Ti-6Al-4V

316 SS


Alloy Cross-Contamination

Problem

Results from inadequate cleaning when changing alloys in manufacturing. While visual inspection shows clean tower, white-glove test reveals significant contamination risk.

Puris Solution

Puris follows stringent standard operating procedures (SOPs) that exceed industry-accepted standards and pass white-glove test.

Typical Ti-6Al-4V Powder Data, As-Atomized

Tap Density: 2.78 g/cc Flow Rate: 25 seconds

Typical ELI Ti-6Al-4V Powder Chemistry Data


Raw Material Validation

Problem

It is challenging to control raw material quality when it is sourced by tens of thousands of pounds, and verified by a single chemistry certification.

Puris Solution

Puris produces material internally, via Plasma Arc Melter bar-casting unit and employs rigorous internal procedures to control outsourced materials, including validating:

• Testing frequency• Testing locations• Testing methods• Equipment calibration

Minimizing Contamination in Titanium Gas Atomization

Presented by: Eric Bono, VP Engineering SolutionsRequest the white paper: [email protected], 412-260-8048

mailto:[email protected]

Puris, LLC, Minimizing Contamination in Titanium Gas Atomization

Engineering

Transcript of Puris, LLC, Minimizing Contamination in Titanium Gas Atomization