• Controlled Powder Production for Advanced Research Applications Share this Article Modern physics experiments and high-value industrial applications increasingly depend on custom, high-performance materials. • These often require strict constraints such as radiopurity, controlled microstructure, and repeatable powder behavior in metal additive manufacturing. • To expand its internal capability from design through production and validation, INFN LNGS developed the HAMMER Hub and integrated additive manufacturing with materials engineering, including lab-scale powder production for selected research needs. • CHALLENGE INFN typically purchases metal powders from specialized suppliers, but certain activities require capabilities that are difficult to meet with standard commercial materials. • This includes atomization from radiopure batches and exploratory alloy research, where rapid iteration on chemistry and powder morphology is essential. • For powder bed fusion laser beam (PBF-LB), particle size distribution (PSD) is a key requirement, and the ability to validate powder behavior in-house supports process stability and part quality.
Article Summaries:
- INFN LNGS has expanded its internal capabilities for producing custom, high‑performance metal powders through the new HAMMER Hub. The hub integrates an ATO Lab ultrasonic atomizer, enabling radiopure atomization and rapid alloy‑chemistry iteration, with a focus on particle‑size distribution for powder‑bed fusion laser beam (PBF‑LB). The addition of an ATEX laboratory and an IMS module strengthens material development and process validation. Early results show improved powder sphericity compared to commercial sources, and successful processing of steels under scientific constraints. The platform supports both internal research and potential technology transfer, positioning INFN for future additive‑manufacturing projects.
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