ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | SEPTEMBER 2025 22 Additive manufacturing (AM) is transforming the aerospace, defense, and power generation sectors by enabling production of complex, high-performance components that were once impossible to fabricate using traditional methods. From microturbines to next-generation hot-section gas turbine components, AM is driving innovation in design, performance, and sustainability. However, for industry to broadly realize the full potential of AM in high-temperature environments, two major barriers must be overcome: the limitations of printability in existing materials and the need for more robust design-allowable materials properties. ABD-900AM is a newly developed nickel-base superalloy tailored for powder bed fusion (PBF) additive manufacturing processes and optimized for high-temperature structural applications. The alloy was formulated to address key limitations in printability and high-temperature performance associated with conventional materials. More than five years of targeted research and development have supported the evolution of this exceptional new HIGH-TEMPERATURE PERFORMANCE MEETS PRINTABILITY: A BREAKTHROUGH IN AM SUPERALLOYS ABD-900AM is a newly developed nickel-base superalloy tailored for powder bed fusion additive manufacturing and optimized for high-temperature structural applications. Alex Bridges and John Shingledecker, FASM,* Electric Power Research Institute, Charlotte, North Carolina Zara Hussain and David Crudden, Alloyed, Oxford, United Kingdom *Member of ASM International properties at intermediate temperatures. However, its γ″-based strengthening mechanism begins to degrade above ~700°C, making it unsuitable for long-term service in next-generation aerospace and power generation components. Studies by NASA, AFRL, national laboratories, and various academic institutions have shown that while IN718 can be printed with high density and sufficient tensile properties, its creep life at elevated temperatures is significantly inferior to cast γ′-strengthened alloys like IN738 or CM247LC[1]. Efforts to adapt high γ′ volume fraction superalloys such as IN738LC, CM247LC, and Mar-M 247 for additive manufacturing have encountered significant challenges, primarily due to their susceptibility to solidification cracking and strain age cracking[2]. To mitigate these issues, various AM process modifications have been explored. These include optimized scan strategies, elevated build plate preheating, and the use of alternative energy sources such as electron beam melting. Additionally, post-processing techniques alloy with ongoing efforts to address alloy design, process optimization, and application-specific testing. In parallel, a collaborative approach to establishing industry standards has laid the groundwork for broader adoption of ABD-900AM in advanced propulsion and energy systems. AM SUPERALLOYS AND CREEP BEHAVIOR During the past decade, substantial research has been devoted to adapting traditional cast and wrought nickel-base superalloys for additive manufacturing. Alloys such as IN718, IN625, and Hastelloy X have been widely studied due to their established performance in conventional manufacturing and a ready supply of additive feedstocks such as powder and wire. However, their adaptation to AM has revealed major limitations in extreme environments, particularly for components that require high-temperature creep resistance. For example, IN718 has been the most widely used AM superalloy due to its excellent weldability and mechanical
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