Spray forming of steels

Spray forming of a wide range of steels and iron based alloys have been investigated since the 1970s. These range from low-alloy carbon steels to high-carbon, high-alloy tool steels. The preform types include round billets, flat deposits, tubular preforms, clad structures, gradient deposits, and molds/dies. While the size of the deposits produced in pilot-scale plants is typically less than 100 kg, the industrial plants are in some cases capable of producing preforms with weight up to several tons. Microstructure and properties of the spray formed steels are usually far superior to those of cast material, typically resembling those of the equivalent powder metallurgy steels. The main advantage of spray forming over powder metallurgy route is the possibility to eliminate powder handling steps. This not only minimizes the risk of contamination but also results in cost savings.