20th International Forgemasters Meeting - IFM 2017

Todays fashion Additive Manufactruring (AM) in the case of metal production integrates the achievements of 3D modeling and well-known methods of powder metallurgy (hereinafter - PM) in so-called printing. However, the very process of powders production brings a number of quality problems for PM product, as well as both the productivity and efficiency of the technological cycle of PM/AM manufacturing (forming and sintering) are significantly inferior to the performances of production technologies using a liquid metal. Own experience in producing of macro and micro-heterogeneous composite materials with a metal matrix by electroslag technologies shows their wide prospects. This presentation will outline the theoretical considerations, calculations and practical results that justify the possibility of electroslag processes in the production of heavy ingots of high homogeneity of chemical compound and metal properties due to the suppression of segregation due to solidification control. Besides the principles of creation and experimental results of new electroslag technologies with the input of various inoculators and processes operation at ultra-low rates for the embedding of a non-metal particles in order to obtain metamaterials and metal-ceramic composites with high resistance to wear and corrosion, effective absorption of neutrons, etc., which are in demand for various critical applications. The findings of this research expand nowadays assumptions of electroslag technologies as viable options (both technically and economically) for Additive Manufacturing, allowing a reasonable production productivity of highly homogeneous large ingots and macro- and micro-composites with a given heterogeneity for different properties.