Aeromet International Ltd., United Kingdom, announces that A20X, the aluminum alloy developed and patented by Aeromet, has cemented its status one of the strongest aluminum additive manufacturing powders commercially available after surpassing the key 500 MPa UTS mark.
As part of a recent research project involving aero-engine giant Rolls-Royce and additive manufacturing equipment specialist Renishaw, heat-treated parts produced of A20X powder have achieved an ultimate tensile strength of 511 MPa (74 ksi), a yield strength of 440 MPa (64 ksi) and elongation of 13%. This places the powder at the forefront of high-strength aluminum additive manufacturing. Crucially, parts additively manufactured with A20X powder maintain high strength and fatigue properties even at elevated temperatures, outperforming other leading aluminum powders.
According to Mike Bond, Director of Advanced Material Technology at Aeromet, “Since bringing the A20X alloy to market for additive manufacturing five years ago, we have seen significant adoption for high-strength, design-critical applications. By working with Rolls-Royce, Renishaw, and Phoenix Scientific Industries Ltd. (PSI), we have optimized processing parameters that led to record-breaking results, opening up new design possibilities for aerospace and advanced engineering applications.”
The HighSAP project, backed by the UK’s National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP), was led by Aeromet and involved Rolls-Royce, Renishaw, and atomization expert PSI.
The A20X powder for additive manufacturing is derived from the MMPDS-approved A20X casting alloy, the world’s strongest aluminum casting alloy, which is in use by a global network of leading aerospace casting suppliers.
