Fan Chaowei, Li Xiashuang, Tan Kangsheng

College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology

Abstract：

Metal powders are fundamental feedstocks for powder metallurgy, additive manufacturing, and various coating technologies. The properties of these powders—including particle size distribution, morphology, flowability, and purity—directly determine the quality and performance of the final products. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the principal metal powder fabrication techniques, categorizing them into mechanical methods, atomization processes, and chemical- and centrifugal-based technologies. The principles, process parameters, and resultant powder characteristics of mechanical comminution, gas and water atomization, the plasma rotating electrode process (PREP), centrifugal atomization, and plasma atomization are systematically examined and compared. Particular attention is given to the ability of each method to produce spherical particles with controlled size distributions and minimal contamination, which are critical requirements for advanced manufacturing applications. The review further discusses the relationship between processing conditions and powder quality, offering insights into the selection of appropriate fabrication techniques for specific industrial needs and highlighting future directions for powder manufacturing technologies.

Key Words：

metal powder; atomization; powder metallurgy; plasma rotating electrode process; gas atomization; powder characterization