News
Leuven Additive Manufacturing Conference 2025 - May 27 - 28, 2025
Granutools' team will attend the Leuven Additive Manufacturing Conference 2025 on May 27–28, 2025, in Leuven, Belgium.
About the event
Granutools will be present at the Leuven Additive Manufacturing Conference 2025, held on May 27–28 at KU Leuven Campus Heverlee. Organized as part of KU Leuven’s 600th anniversary, the event brings together researchers and industry experts to explore the latest advances in additive manufacturing processes, materials, and technologies.
Poster Presentation - Understanding the spreadability of metal powders: combining powder characterization and DEM simulations
Poster session 1.1 | 27 May 2025 12:50pm-1:40pm | Room QDV 01.100
Evaluating the spreadability of new metal powders in additive manufacturing is often limited by the high material cost and machine preparation requirements. To address this, our study combines Granutools’ Cohesive Index metric (GranuDrum) with a novel test bench developed by LEM3, allowing for layer-by-layer analysis of powder deposition outside the printer environment. Using a confocal microscope, we assess the topology and uniformity of each powder layer, revealing a strong correlation with in-printer behavior and a marked improvement in layer quality after the first few layers.
To gain deeper insight, we complement these experiments with Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations replicating the recoating conditions. These simulations help clarify the relationship between particle cohesion and layer irregularities, offering a better understanding of the powder spreading mechanisms.
This combined approach provides a more efficient way to evaluate and optimize powders for AM processes before they are used in actual production.
Meet us at Leuven Additive Manufacturing Conference 2025 and let’s talk powder behavior!