Opportunities and challenges of spray forming high-alloyed steels

Spray forming has proven to be a useful tool for generating high-alloyed materials. The metallurgical advantages of high solidification rates are obvious. Shortening of process chains in comparison to powder metallurgy is often discussed. To approach to some of the remaining questions, especially on the influence of process gases on spray forming steels, within this study high-alloyed steels with melt weights up to 150 kg are spray formed and hot worked to semi-finished materials. Properties are analyzed in comparison to products available on the market. Cold-work tool steels with high carbon content can be spray formed to produce materials with good wear resistance and toughness. When reducing the carbon content and the amount of hard carbides, advantage of reduced segregation becomes more apparent. On the other hand, the influence of nitrogen as an alloying element is more effective and means of control are required. When corrosion or heat resistant steels with high non-carbide bonded chromium content or other nitride forming elements are part of the alloy, care has to be taken on controlling the dissolution of process gases and subsequent precipitation and degassing during compaction and further processing. Experiments where melt protection and atomization gas were changed from nitrogen to argon have shown significant influence of process gases on spray forming results and the mechanical properties of the materials in hot worked and finally heat treated condition.