Interview: Unveiling the power of morphological analysis in additive manufacturing optimisation

As a not-for-profit research and innovation organisation, the Materials Processing Institute has a sharp focus on developing new materials, processes and technologies. 

It is working to achieve a clean and green industrial future and in doing so recognises the need for collaboration to enhance additive manufacturing products and solutions. The organisation has thus partnered with Malvern Panalytical to take advantage of the company’s material characterisation products. 

With their collaboration advancing, TCT sat down with Jenny Burt [JB], Senior Applications Specialist at Malvern Panalytical, and Ehsan Rahimi [ER], Senior Researcher at the Materials Processing Institute, to better understand how the partners are working together. 

With Burt’s expertise in applying scientific instruments to understand materials and Rahimi’s extensive background in materials research and innovation, the pair delve into the collaborative efforts between the two organisations. Together, they detail the capabilities of the Morphologi 4 morphological image analyser, as well as discuss how material characterisation technologies are revolutionising additive manufacturing.

TCT: First, Jenny, can you tell us more about Malvern Panalytical and the solutions the company offers? 

JB: Malvern Panalytical is a leading developer and supplier of scientific instruments and services designed to help users gain a better understanding of their materials. We provide a range of technologies for measuring various material parameters, including particle size and shape, polymer molecular weight, elemental composition, and crystalline structure. These insights empower our customers to better understand and optimise the performance of their products, processes, and materials.

Our solutions find applications across diverse vertical markets such as pharmaceuticals, energy storage, mining, and semiconductors. Additionally, we are actively involved in the additive manufacturing space, offering characterisation solutions for different material types and processes. We collaborate with customers and institutions like the Materials Processing Institute to enhance and tailor these solutions to meet the evolving needs of the additive manufacturing industry.

TCT: And Ehsan, why are the Materials Processing Institute interested in leveraging Malvern’s products?

ER: The Materials Processing Institute is a not-for-profit research and innovation organisation located in the northeast of England. With a 75-year track record, the Institute focuses on developing new materials, processes, and technologies. Their research groups, namely Advanced Materials, Sustainable Industry, and Digital Technologies, work towards a clean and green industrial future. The Institute has developed novel methodologies for powder characterisation, enabling the additive manufacturing industry to utilise sustainable resources. This aligns with our interest in collaborating with them to enhance our products and better serve the additive manufacturing sector.

TCT: So, why is powder flow important for powder bed additive manufacturing, and how does this correlate with particle characteristics, such as size and shape?

ER: Powder flowability is crucial in the recoating process, a critical aspect of powder bed additive manufacturing. A uniform and dense powder bed is essential for the quality of the final product. Powder flowability is influenced by various characteristics such as shape, size, electrostatic charge, moisture, density, and surface properties. While there is a common size range for the powder bed fusion process, defining morphological distribution is an ongoing challenge. We advocate for the additive manufacturing community to establish standardised indices or parameters for ranking powders based on shape descriptors.

TCT: I understand the Materials Processing Institute is using Malvern’s Morphologi 4 solution. How does the Morphologi 4 work, and what information can it provide?

JB: The Morphologi 4 is an automated static image analysis system designed to offer a comprehensive description of the morphological properties of particulate materials like metal or polymer powders. By combining particle size measurements with shape assessments, it characterises both spherical and irregularly shaped particles. The system reports over 20 different shape parameters, allowing users to classify particles into morphological groups. This information is invaluable for identifying and quantifying specific particle characteristics, such as highly spherical particles in a metal powder.

Another advantage is the high-resolution imaging of individual particles, enabling further investigation based on their measured characteristics. Some researchers have even used it for quantifying pore characteristics in additively manufactured parts.

TCT: How is the Materials Processing Institute utilising the Morphologi 4 data to predict the flow of powders in the powder bed fusion process?

ER: Powder morphology is crucial for interpreting powder behaviour in powder bed additive manufacturing, and the Morphologi 4 allows us to describe particle shape based on process needs. The Institute has developed a methodology using the Morphologi 4 to predict powder performance before the laser powder bed fusion process. This methodology, first presented at the World Powder Metallurgy 2022, emphasises the importance of predictability in powder reusability.

TCT: How does the Morflow Index correspond with process and final part performance, and how was this measured?

ER: The Morflow Index determines powder suitability for the re-coater process based on morphology and size. It was empirically developed at the Institute, classifying metal powder shapes and simplifying morphological distribution. An index smaller than 1 indicates good flowability, which is essential for determining final part quality. Current research aims to quantify the correlation between physical properties like flowability and final part quality. There are even proposals to use AI tools to predict final part performance based on indices like the Morflow Index.

TCT: Could this approach be used to predict flow behaviour in other industries and applications?

ER: Certainly. This approach can extend beyond material types to analyse flow behaviour. Morphological distribution analysis is complex, and depending on the application and required physical parameters, the index can be adjusted. The Institute is in the early stages of developing a strategy for materials interpretation that could be applied in various industries, such as pharmaceuticals, metal/ceramic injection moulding, and others.

TCT: Why is it important for companies like Malvern Panalytical to work with specialised institutes like the Materials Processing Institute?

JB: At Malvern Panalytical, we recognise our role in contributing to the development of new processes and materials, not just for additive manufacturing but across various industries. Our solutions ensure the quality, performance, and efficiency of products and processes. Collaborating with institutes like the Materials Processing Institute allows us to better understand user requirements, informing our product and application development processes. It also helps us discover new application areas, benefiting other customers in similar fields.

TCT: How has the Materials Processing Institute found working with Malvern Panalytical and the Morphologi 4 system?

ER: The Institute values building a strong relationship with instrument suppliers like us. They appreciate our collaboration, which involves supplying knowledge from the operational side to support them in technical details. This collaboration is expected to lead to new developments, proposing cost-effective and scientific solutions for the industry.

Malvern Panalytical and the Materials Processing Institute recently discussed their collaboration in more detail in this TCT-hosted webinar. The webinar can be accessed on-demand here.