Preparation technology and research progress of superalloy powders used for additive manufacturing

Spherical powders are the important raw materials used for the preparation technology as the additive manufacturing, powder metallurgy, and injection molding. The composition, particle size, sphericility, and hollow powder rate of the spherical powders are the key factors for the final component performance. Three kinds of manufacture techniques for the engineering superalloy spherical powders as the vacuum induction melting gas atomization (VIGA), electrode induction melting gas atomization (EIGA), and plasma rotating electrode atomization (PREP) used for the additive manufacturing were described in this paper, the characteristics and research progress of these three kinds of manufacture techniques were analyzed, the defect formation reason and control method of the powders prepared by these three kinds of manufacture techniques were discussed, and the development trend of the superalloy powder preparation technologies used for the additive manufacturing was proposed.