Velo3D Qualifies New Superalloy for Use in Its Sapphire Printers

Velo3D Inc. has qualified the nickel-based superalloy powder Amperprint 0233 Haynes 282 for use in its Sapphire printers. The powder was produced by metal powder producer Höganäs AB under license from Haynes International Inc., and is designed for high creep strength, thermal stability, weldability and fabricability not commonly found in other alloys.

The company says the material is well suited for high-temperature structural applications like energy generation, gas turbines and space launch vehicles to build parts such as heat exchangers, combustors, nozzles, combustion liners, rocket engines and shrouded impellers.

The first Sapphire printer utilizing the Amperprint 0233 Haynes 282 powder will be operated by Duncan Machine Products (DMP), a contract manufacturer based in Duncan, Oklahoma. The system will be the seventh in DMP’s fleet of Velo3D Sapphire printers.

“Our goal at Velo3D is to enable engineers to build the parts they want without compromising on the design or quality,” says Benny Buller, Velo3D CEO and founder. “Qualifying new powdered metals, like Amperprint 0233 Haynes 282, for use in our end-to-end solution, further expands what’s possible with our additive manufacturing technology. Our partners at Höganäs provide materials of the highest quality, and I look forward to seeing what our customers build using this amazing alloy.”

Powdered nickel-based superalloys, like Amperprint 0233 Haynes 282, are often used to print parts for use in high-temperature applications due to the alloy’s resistance to cracking and its ability to operate at near-melting-point temperatures. This tolerance enables parts printed with the alloy to be used in vacuum, plasma and other demanding applications. Its high weldability makes the powder well suited for parts in larger systems because of its ability to be welded to other components.

Höganäs specializes in creating powders for additive manufacturing, delivering products with consistent spherical shape, tight control on chemistry and enhanced flowability. The powders are made using the purest materials with very precise compositions of trace elements that give the metals their unique properties, the company says.