SS6632 40CrNi3SiMoVA Steel Powder

40CrNi3SiMoVA Steel Powder Description

40CrNi3SiMoVA steel powder is a high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) material designed for advanced manufacturing processes, characterized by its exceptional mechanical performance and optimized microstructure. The alloy’s composition includes chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), silicon (Si), molybdenum (Mo), and vanadium (V), which synergistically enhance strength, toughness, and resistance to hydrogen embrittlement. Notably, silicon plays a critical role in refining carbide precipitates during tempering, improving hydrogen trapping efficiency, and reducing susceptibility to hydrogen-induced cracking.

Produced via gas atomization, the powder exhibits a controlled particle size distribution (15-53 μm) with high sphericity (>95%) and low oxygen content (<300 ppm), ensuring excellent flowability (Hall flow rate ≤18 s/50g) and minimal porosity (<0.3%) for additive manufacturing applications. The rapid solidification process during atomization suppresses elemental segregation, resulting in a homogeneous microstructure with dispersed carbides and fine-grained martensitic/bainitic phases, which contribute to a tensile strength exceeding 1800 MPa and balanced elongation (6-15%) in both as-printed and heat-treated states.

Vanadium forms stable carbides that inhibit grain growth and enhance wear resistance, while nickel improves toughness and fatigue resistance under cyclic loading. The alloy’s low impurity levels (P, S ≤0.025%) further mitigate brittleness and hot-cracking risks during post-processing. These properties make 40CrNi3SiMoVA steel powder a robust candidate for high-stress components in aerospace, energy, and defense sectors, where reliability under extreme mechanical loads is paramount.

40CrNi3SiMoVA Steel Powder Applications

·          40CrNi3SiMoVA steel powder is widely utilized in industries requiring ultra-high strength, fatigue resistance, and durability under extreme mechanical and thermal conditions. In aerospace engineering, it is employed for manufacturing critical components such as landing gear assemblies, turbine engine shafts, and structural brackets, where its tensile strength (exceeding 1800 MPa) and resistance to hydrogen embrittlement ensure reliability during high-stress operations. The energy sector leverages this material for gas turbine blades, nuclear reactor pressure vessels, and high-temperature valve systems, capitalizing on its oxidation resistance and creep performance at elevated temperatures.

·          In defense and heavy machinery, the powder is used to produce armored vehicle components, ballistic protection plates, and mining equipment parts, benefiting from its exceptional wear resistance and impact toughness derived from vanadium-carbide dispersion. Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, particularly laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), utilize its optimized particle size (15-53 μm) and high sphericity (>95%) to fabricate lightweight, topology-optimized geometries for industrial tools, hydraulic actuators, and custom dies with minimal post-processing.

·          Additionally, its low impurity content (P, S ≤0.025%) and resistance to thermal cracking make it suitable for oil and gas applications, such as drill collars and subsea connectors, where corrosion resistance and long-term structural integrity are critical. The alloy’s balanced elongation (6-15%) and fatigue life further enable its use in automotive racing components, including high-performance crankshafts and suspension linkages, ensuring durability under cyclic loading. These diverse applications underscore its role in advancing high-performance engineering solutions across sectors demanding precision, strength, and reliability.

40CrNi3SiMoVA Steel Powder Packaging

Our products are packaged in customized cartons of various sizes based on the material dimensions. Small items are securely packed in PP boxes, while larger items are placed in custom wooden crates. We ensure strict adherence to packaging customization and the use of appropriate cushioning materials to provide optimal protection during transportation.

Packaging: Carton, Wooden Box, or Customized.

Kindly review the packaging details provided for your reference.

Manufacturing Process

1.       Testing Method

(1)    Chemical Composition Analysis - Verified using techniques such as GDMS or XRF to ensure compliance with purity requirements.

(2)    Mechanical Properties Testing - Includes tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation tests to assess material performance.

(3)    Dimensional Inspection - Measures thickness, width, and length to ensure adherence to specified tolerances.

(4)    Surface Quality Inspection - Checks for defects such as scratches, cracks, or inclusions through visual and ultrasonic examination.

(5)    Hardness Testing - Determines material hardness to confirm uniformity and mechanical reliability.

Please refer to the SAM testing procedures for detailed information.

40CrNi3SiMoVA Steel Powder FAQs

Q1. What is 40CrNi3SiMoVA steel powder?

40CrNi3SiMoVA is a high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel powder optimized for additive manufacturing (AM). It contains chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), silicon (Si), molybdenum (Mo), and vanadium (V) to achieve ultra-high tensile strength (>1800 MPa), fatigue resistance, and hydrogen embrittlement resistance.

Q2. What are its limitations?

Limited to moderate-temperature applications (<540°C).

Requires precise AM parameter control to avoid cracking.

Q3. What industries use this powder?

Aerospace: Landing gear, turbine shafts.

Energy: Gas turbine blades, nuclear reactor components.

Defense: Armored vehicles, ballistic plates.

Automotive: High-performance crankshafts, suspension parts.

Oil & Gas: Drill collars, subsea connectors.

Performance Comparison Table with Competitive Products

Alloy Properties Comparison

Related Information

1.       Common Preparation Methods

40CrNi3SiMoVA steel powder is produced via gas atomization, ensuring high purity and controlled particle morphology. Pre-alloyed feedstock containing chromium, nickel, silicon, molybdenum, vanadium, and iron is melted in a vacuum induction furnace under an inert argon atmosphere to prevent oxidation and maintain precise compositional homogeneity. The molten metal is then forced through a nozzle and fragmented into fine droplets using high-pressure argon gas jets, achieving rapid cooling rates (>10³ K/s) to suppress elemental segregation and refine carbide dispersion. This results in highly spherical particles (>95% sphericity) with a narrow size distribution (15-53 μm), optimized for laser-based additive manufacturing. Post-processing steps include sieving to remove outliers (<15 μm or >53 μm), vacuum degassing to reduce oxygen content (≤300 ppm), and flowability optimization (Hall flow rate ≤18 s/50g) for consistent layer deposition. Critical parameters such as melt temperature (1600-1650°C), gas pressure (3-5 MPa), and cooling rate are tightly controlled to ensure microstructural homogeneity, low porosity (<0.3%), and mechanical properties exceeding 1800 MPa tensile strength. The process’s scalability and ability to achieve uniform vanadium carbide dispersion make it ideal for high-stress aerospace, defense, and energy applications, though plasma rotating electrode process (PREP) may be used for ultra-low oxygen levels (≤150 ppm) at higher costs.