Granutools wants to offer technology to assess the spreadability of metallic powders and therefore called upon the expertise of Sirris. Sirris assisted Granutools in selecting the powders to be tested (based on a study of how easily the powders can be spread, according to the experience Sirris had with these batches at the practical level), in acquiring a better knowledge of the SLM process, in conducting in-situ tests and knowledge acquisition. The collaboration resulted in improving the test equipment developed by Granutools and enabled assessing the importance of the interaction between the powder material, recoater and its effect, on the spread of the powder bed in the AM machine, and in linking this acquisition of knowledge and knowhow to the quality of the spreading.
