An investigation of the reusability on ni-based superalloypowders discarded from additive manufacturing

Powders used in additive manufacturing progressively degrade into scrap due to storage conditions and repeated reuse. Although such scrap powders can technically be recycled and reintroduced into additive manufacturing, this practice generally offers economic benefits primarily to powder manufacturers who use scrap powder a raw material. For end users, however, recycling is often not cost-effective. Consequently, it becomes essential to develop alternative processing routes that allow end users to repurpose these scrap powders, thereby extending their usability beyond additive manufacturing applications. This study investigates the feasibility of employing scrap Inconel 718 powder in powder metallurgy and examines how its physical, chemical, mechanical, and metallurgical properties compare to those of virgin Inconel 718 powder.