Additive Manufacturing Powder Metrology Laboratory

NIST researchers are developing and deploying test methods, protocols, and exemplar data for characterizing the properties of metal powders used in commercial additive manufacturing (AM) systems. These test methods are necessary for U.S. industry to qualify the feedstock materials used in their manufacturing processes and to achieve predictive and repeatable results in part production. In particular, NIST is investigating flowability and spreadability of AM powders, particle size and distribution, powder layer density, and other factors to correlate their effects on resulting part quality and performance. This laboratory houses the NIST-developed powder spreading testbed as well as commercial and experimental test equipment to develop the technical basis for new standard test methods for characterizing metal powders.