Metal Powders

Precision Metal Powders for AM & MIM Applications

Research areas

Additive Manufacturing and Metal Injection Moulding

Industries

Fine Metal Powders for Advanced Manufacturing

The performance of your finished component starts with the quality of your metal powder.

Through our partner Ultra Fine Specialty Products, PI-KEM can supply gas-atomised alloy powders for additive manufacturing, metal injection moulding and other advanced powder-processing applications.

These fine, spherical powders are manufactured with close control of alloy chemistry, particle size distribution and morphology. This helps you achieve repeatable processing, consistent component properties and dependable results across successive production batches.

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Metal powders matched to your process

The right particle characteristics are essential for powder flow, packing density, surface finish and final component performance.

Ultra Fine powders are available in particle-size fractions suited to processes including:

‍Binder Jetting

‍‍Fine spherical powders, including fractions with a d90 below 30 µm, support effective powder-bed packing, dimensional resolution and consistent sintering.

Laser Powder Bed Fusion

Powders are available in fractions commonly used for Laser Powder Bed Fusion, including -45 µm / +15 µm, with additional particle-size ranges available on request.

Metal Injection Moulding

Controlled fine powders support consistent feedstock preparation, mould filling, dimensional accuracy and repeatable mechanical properties after debinding and sintering.

Other Powder Metallurgy Processes

Alternative particle-size distributions and alloy specifications can be discussed for specialist manufacturing, development and research requirements.

To learn more about the applications of metal powders, see our research area for Additive Manufacturing and Metal Injection Moulding.

Available Metal Powders

Choose from an extensive range of established alloys, or discuss a custom specification for your application.

Stainless Steels - ‍

Stainless steel powders are used where corrosion resistance, mechanical strength and reliable performance are required.
They support applications across medical devices, food processing, industrial equipment, pumps, valves and precision engineering components.

Tool Steels -

‍‍Tool steel powders are designed for applications that demand exceptional hardness and wear resistance.
They are used to manufacture cutting tools, dies, moulds and other tooling components subjected to repeated mechanical stress.

Magnetic Alloys -

Magnetic alloy powders are engineered for applications where controlled magnetic properties are critical.
Typical uses include electric motors, sensors, transformers, inductors and other electromagnetic components.

Copper-based Alloys -

Copper-based powders combine excellent electrical and thermal conductivity with the flexibility of advanced powder manufacturing.
They can be used in electrical contacts, heat exchangers, thermal management systems and other components where efficient heat or current transfer is essential.

Master Alloys -

Master alloy are blended with other metal powders to adjust alloy chemical compositions, control grain structure, or improve corrosion resistance or mechanical strength

‍Low Alloy Steels -

Low alloy steel powders offer a balance of strength, toughness and cost effectiveness.
They are used for structural and mechanical components including gears, shafts, automotive parts and general engineering applications.

Nickel-based Superalloys -

Nickel-based superalloy powders are designed to retain their strength and resist oxidation at elevated temperatures.
Uses include aerospace, energy generation and other demanding environments where conventional steels cannot withstand the operating conditions.

Cobalt-based Alloys -

Cobalt-based alloy powders provide outstanding wear resistance, corrosion resistance and high-temperature performance.
They can be used in applications including medical implants, cutting tools, valve components and other parts exposed to harsh operating environments.

Product	Specification
Stainless Steels	300 series, 400 series, 17-4PH
Tool Steels	M2, M4, D2
Magnetic Alloys	FeNi, FeCo, Sendust
Copper-based Alloys	Cu, C18000, C18150, C18200
Master Alloys	17-4MA, 4340MA, 316L
Low Alloy Steels	4340, 4140
Super Alloys	718, 625
Cobalt-based Alloys	F-75, H25

This is only a partial list of available alloys

Metal Powder Consistency
Variations in powder properties can affect the stability of your process and the quality of your finished components.
Important characteristics include:
Particle size distribution -
- A controlled particle-size range supports consistent powder-bed behaviour, packing density and process repeatability. See tables below for detailed particle size spces.
Spherical morphology -
- High sphericity can improve powder flow and help material spread evenly during additive manufacturing.
Alloy chemistry -
- Controlled chemistry supports predictable material performance and reduces variation between manufacturing batches.
Reproducibility -
- Consistency within individual lots and across repeat orders helps you maintain established process parameters as research moves towards scale-up and production.

Particle Sizes

Typical Particle Size Distributions for Additive Manufacturing

Process Technology	Size (µm)
Binder Jet Technology (BJT)	≤ 16, ≤ 22, ≤ 31, ≤ 38, ≤ 45
Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB)	15 to 53, 15 to 45, 10 to 45
Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing (CSAM)	20 to 45, 15 to 38, 10 to 32, 5 to 25
Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion (EB-PBF)	45 to 106
Direct Energy Deposition (DED)	53 to 150

Ultra Fine Particle Size Distributions for Additive Manufacturing

Grade	UF-1	UF-2	UF-3	UF-4	UF-5	UF-6
PSD
D10, µm	5	9	8	4	17	26
D50, µm	14	15	19	27	30	39
D90, µm	31	25	40	53	50	60
Apparent density, g/cm³	4.1	4.1	4.2	4.6	4.4	4.4
Tap density, g/cm³	5.0	4.8	5.2	5.6	5.4	5.4

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Typical Particle Size Distributions for Metal Injection Molding

Grade	D10 (µm)	D50 (µm)	D90 (µm)
90% ≤ 31	5.5	13.0	31.0
80% ≤ 22	4.5	11.5	27.0
90% ≤ 22	4.0	10.5	22.0
90% ≤ 16	3.5	8.0	16.0

Typical Particle Size Distributions for Micro-MIM (µ-MIM)

Grade	D10 (%)	D50 (%)	D90 (%)
90% - 10 µm	3.0	5.7	9.8
80% - 5 µm	1.9	3.4	6.0

Our Partners

Ultra Fine

Ultra Fine produces specialty gas atomized powders for the Metal Injection Molding (MIM) industry with additional focus and expertise in powders.

Learn more

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