Powder properties such as particle size distribution, shape and flowability are important to consider for the powder handling, such as filling and spreading processes in additive manufacturing (AM) equipment. This is particularly true for metal powder bed techniques. The flowability can be defined as powder’s ability to flow and is a complex property, depending on many powder characteristics. Flowability can be measured by a wide range of different techniques and the results between these can vary considerably. Moreover, equipment used for handling, storing and processing the powder have also shown to affect the powder and hence, the flowability. In this study, various powder characterization methods have been used on metal powders for additive manufacturing to get a better understanding of which factors affect the flowability. In addition, different methods of measuring flowability have also been evaluated and compared to each other.
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