A-Powder 17-4PH — Precipitation-Hardening Steel Powder for AO Metal Printers
17-4PH precipitation-hardening steel powder.
A precipitation-hardening stainless steel: print the part, then a single low-temperature ageing step sets the strength–toughness balance. Stronger than 316L, with good general corrosion resistance.
What it is
Typical use
Tooling inserts, wear and structural parts, fixtures that need more strength than 316L.
On an AO Metal printer
AO Metal A30, A50 and A100 are open systems: every process parameter is exposed and there is no approved-material list, so you load this 15–53 µm powder like any other qualified alloy. Our materials engineer shares recommended starting parameters, which you then tune on your own printer.
Note: This 17-4PH is nitrogen-atomized. It can retain more austenite as built, so plan the heat treatment accordingly; if your specification requires argon-atomized 17-4, ask us before ordering.
Powder data
Powder
| Material | 17-4PH stainless steel |
|---|---|
| Designation | UNS S17400 · AISI 630 · 1.4542 |
| Specification | AMS 7012 |
| Particle size (PSD) | 15–53 µm |
| Size distribution | D10 10–25 µm · D50 25–40 µm · D90 40–60 µm |
| Flow rate (Hall) | ≤ 20 s / 50 g |
| Apparent density | ≥ 3.5 g/cm³ |
| Tap density | ≥ 4.0 g/cm³ |
| Sphericity | ≥ 80% |
| Atomization | Nitrogen gas-atomized |
| Country of origin | China |
| Package | 10 kg sealed container |
Main alloying elements
| Iron (Fe) | Balance |
|---|---|
| Chromium (Cr) | 15.5–17.5% |
| Nickel (Ni) | 3.0–5.0% |
| Copper (Cu) | 3.0–5.0% |
| Niobium (Nb) | 0.15–0.45% |
The full chemistry of your lot is on its certificate of analysis.
Printed properties
Manufacturer data
| Tensile, XY | ≥ 1015 MPa |
|---|---|
| Yield, XY | ≥ 784 MPa |
| Elongation, XY | ≥ 24% |
| Hardness | 298 HV1 |
| Tensile strength, Z | ≥ 977 MPa |
| Yield strength, Z | ≥ 564 MPa |
| Elongation, Z | ≥ 26% |
| Porosity | 0.021% |
| Test condition | As built, 25 °C |
| Relative density | 99.97% |
Published by the powder manufacturer. Use them as a starting point for your own qualification, not as a guaranteed result on your machine.
How to use it
- Store sealedKeep the container closed, dry and at room temperature until you load the printer. Reseal it after each use.
- Sieve before loadingPass the powder through a sieve before it goes into the printer, and every time you reuse powder recovered from a build.
- Load the dispenserFill the printer's powder dispenser, close the chamber and purge it with argon before the first layer.
- Start from our parametersOur materials engineer shares recommended starting parameters for this alloy; every value stays open for you to tune.
- Recover the restAfter the build, collect the unfused powder, sieve it and return it to a sealed container for the next job.
Wear a respirator, gloves and a lab coat when handling metal powder. The safety data sheet comes with every order. See the full printing workflow →
Ordering
- Made to order — ships in 6–8 weeks; the exact date is confirmed by email after you order.
- One 10 kg sealed container per unit — $360 ($36/kg), with the lot certificate of analysis on request.
- 100 kg and more — ask for a volume quote.
- Orders are placed and supported in the US by Additive Plus, AO Metal’s sales and service partner: card, PayPal or purchase order; tax-exempt certificates accepted.
Made in China. If your program requires US- or allied-origin material, ask us before ordering.
Questions
Is it argon- or nitrogen-atomized?
Nitrogen-atomized. Argon-atomized 17-4PH is not offered in the A-Powder line at this time.
How do I reach full strength?
Age the printed part per your drawing; the as-built XY and Z figures above are the manufacturer’s starting point.
Other powders
Printing 17-4PH for the first time?
Tell us the part and the printer, and our materials engineer will send starting parameters and answer questions before you order.