Materials

Material selection starts with the component duty.

For LMD, SLM/LPBF and laser cladding, an alloy name is not enough. Substrate, duty, heat input, geometry, finishing and inspection requirements need to work together.

Discuss a material question Start the material selector

Powder-bed fusion visual for SLM comparison

Selection criteria

Five questions come before the alloy decision.

Missing information can be marked as open during an initial review, but it should not be replaced by a blanket material promise.

Substrate and condition

Material designation, known heat treatment, existing coating, prior damage and available material records.

Duty

Abrasion, impact, sliding contact, corrosion, oxidation, temperature or a combination of these loads.

Operating environment

Process medium, temperature range, load cycles, contact partner and required service life.

Geometry and manufacturing approach

Access, deposition zone, heat input, machining allowance and possible post-treatment.

Acceptance and inspection

Target hardness only where technically relevant, together with microstructure, bonding, geometry, surface condition and documentation.

Material families

Material families narrow the options; they do not replace component review.

Suitability depends on substrate, damage mechanism, geometry, process conditions and acceptance criteria.

Fe-based steels and tool steels

May suit build-up, repair and selected wear applications. Weldability, prior condition, heat treatment and crack risk need to be evaluated together.

Ni-based alloys

May be relevant for corrosion, oxidation, temperature exposure or dissimilar-material applications. Dilution, interfaces, finishing and inspection remain application-specific.

Co-based and hard-particle systems

May suit tribological or abrasive duty. Hardness alone is insufficient; toughness, matrix, particle bonding, crack risk and machinability also matter.

Copper and specialty substrates

Require a separate assessment of absorption, heat conduction, temperature control and material transitions. Early feasibility work is particularly important.

Published project examples

Three examples show different material questions.

Each example applies to its documented project scope. Transfer to a new component is assessed separately.

Metallographic cross-section of an LMD hardfacing layer with scale bar

Wear protection

Tungsten-carbide-containing deposited layer

The published research context shows why matrix, hard-particle distribution, bonding, crack risk and finishing need to be reviewed together. Composition and acceptance remain project-specific.

View project

Close process view of a 750 mm multi-material LMD nozzle demonstrator

Multi-material build

750 mm nozzle with two Ni-based material zones

The project documents Inconel 625 and Inconel 718 in defined functional zones. It is not a general qualification of this combination for other geometries or load cases.

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Turbo-generator rotor wedges after copper-alloy Laser Metal Deposition coating

Copper substrate

Coated rotor wedges

The project documents LMD coating on copper-based components. Temperature control, interfaces, repeatability and inspection must be defined for each new component.

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Evidence status

Material statements need a defined scope.

This distinction separates published experience, initial assessment and project-specific validation.

Material-evidence status and appropriate use
Status	What is available	How to use the statement
Published project example	The component, manufacturing approach and public project scope are documented.	Use as context for a similar question, not as transferable component approval.
Initial material assessment	The substrate, duty and a possible material family have been reviewed.	Trials, process parameters, finishing and inspection remain open.
Project-specific validation	Acceptance criteria and inspection have been agreed for a defined component.	The conclusion applies only to the agreed material, process and inspection scope.
Insufficient input data	The substrate, duty or acceptance criteria are uncertain.	No defensible material recommendation yet; clarify the missing information first.

Technical review

Send the substrate, duty and required component function.

Photos or CAD, operating temperature, process medium, target surface, finishing and acceptance criteria are also useful. Exafuse will identify open points before a material recommendation is developed further.

Request a material review

Recommended next steps

Pick the next page by what you need to decide.

Continue with a relevant service, case study, technical article, FAQ or feasibility request.

Start from duty and substrate

Connect wear, corrosion, temperature and contact conditions with the base material, candidate alloy family and required finishing.

Published industrial projectTurbo Generator Rotor Wedge Coating with LMD: Heat-Controlled CuNi2SiCr on Copper Substrate ArticleLMD Coatings on Copper Substrates: Heat Management, Preheating, and Validation ArticleHow to Evaluate LMD Build-and-Coat Workflows: Geometry, Surface Function, and Validation Published industrial projectValve Seat and Wear Ring LMD Coating for Wear-Resistant Surfaces FAQMaterials for LMD and laser cladding: selection and qualification

7 more related items are available through the linked hub pages.

Coating recommendationGet coating recommendation

Review demanding material combinations

Use a technical feasibility review for dissimilar materials, gradients, copper substrates and hard-to-machine alloys.

Published industrial projectTurbo Generator Rotor Wedge Coating with LMD: Heat-Controlled CuNi2SiCr on Copper Substrate ArticleLMD Coatings on Copper Substrates: Heat Management, Preheating, and Validation ArticleHow to Evaluate LMD Build-and-Coat Workflows: Geometry, Surface Function, and Validation Internal demonstratorFunctionally Graded LMD Pipe Demonstrator FAQMaterials for LMD and laser cladding: selection and qualification PageTechnology and equipment

4 more related items are available through the linked hub pages.

Metal AMStart manufacturing RFQ