When people hear about “recycling powder” in metal 3D printing, they often assume unused material just goes back into the hopper. The truth is far more nuanced, and critical for part performance. Recycled powder in metal AM undergoes a rigorous recovery process to ensure its integrity is maintained for future builds.
After a build completes, the unused powder is collected, sieved, and decontaminated. Sieving removes clumps and large particles that can obstruct powder flow or create defects. Then, material scientists test the recovered powder for particle size distribution, flowability, and chemistry. If it doesn’t meet the required standards, it’s discarded or mixed with virgin powder to bring it back into spec.
This approach reduces waste and material costs, but it must be tightly controlled. Overusing recycled powder without proper quality checks can lead to surface defects, internal porosity, or compromised strength. At Scojet, we follow strict protocols in our powder recovery workflows to ensure consistency across builds, especially for clients in regulated industries like aerospace, defense, and medical devices.
The takeaway? Powder recovery is not about reuse, it’s about renewal. By treating recycled powder with the same scrutiny as new material, manufacturers can reduce environmental impact without sacrificing quality.