Maraging Steel MS1 Powder

Maraging steel refers to a family of high-strength steels that derive their strength not from carbon, but from the precipitation of intermetallic compounds. Maraging steels provide an excellent combination of mechanical properties like high strength, good fracture toughness, and good weldability, which makes them useful across various critical industrial applications. Maraging Steel MS1 Powder is a maraging steel alloy powder designed for additive manufacturing techniques like laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and directed energy deposition (DED). As an advanced engineering material, MS1 offers distinct benefits over conventional maraging grades for powder-based AM processes. This article provides a comprehensive overview of maraging steel MS1 including its composition, key characteristics, processing methods, applications, pros/cons, and supply details.

Overview of Maraging Steel MS1 Powder

Maraging steels are unique low-carbon martensitic steels designed to derive strength from intermetallic precipitates that form during aging heat treatment. Their low carbon content provides good weldability, while the significant alloying additions enable high strength through precipitation hardening mechanisms. MS1 powder is designed specifically for additive manufacturing of maraging steel parts using powder bed fusion or directed energy deposition techniques. Key details of MS1 powder: Maraging Steel MS1 Powder Key Details

Parameter	Details
Alloy Designation	18% Ni, 9% Co, 5% Mo , Fe bal.
Standard Specification	ASTM B986
Density	8.1 g/cm3
Particle Size Range	15-53 μm
Manufacturing Process	Gas Atomization
Key Characteristics	Ultrahigh strength, good fracture toughness and ductility after age hardening, excellent dimensional capability in AM, good corrosion resistance, good weldability
Typical Applications	Aerospace components, tooling inserts, mold components, automotive, machinery parts

With its tailored composition and particle size distribution, MS1 enables additive manufacturing of dense, high-quality maraging steel components with mechanical properties equivalent or superior to conventional maraging grades.

Composition and Microstructure of Maraging Steel MS1

Maraging steels derive their unique set of properties from their low-carbon martensitic matrix and special alloying additions. The composition plays a critical role in the final mechanical performance after aging treatment. Maraging Steel MS1 – Nominal Composition

Alloying Element	Weight %	Role
Nickel (Ni)	17-19	Enables martensitic matrix on quenching, provides hardening effect
Cobalt (Co)	8-9	Contributes to hardening through precipitation
Molybdenum (Mo)	4.5-5.5	Precipitation strengthener
Titanium (Ti)	0.3-0.8	Forms precipitates, refines grain size
Aluminum (Al)	0.05-0.15	Prevents nitride formation

*Other impurities (e.g. C, Si, Mn, etc.) are minimized to avoid reducing fracture toughness. Iron is balance. The low-carbon, high nickel martensitic matrix provides a combination of high strength and good toughness. The significant additions of cobalt and molybdenum enable the formation of extremely hard metallic intermetallic precipitates like Ni3(Ti, Mo) during aging treatment which imparts very high strength to the material. Unlike conventional grades, MS1 powder is specially designed with tighter chemistry control for reproducible properties in additive manufacturing.

Key Properties and Characteristics

Maraging steel MS1 powder offers an exceptional combination of ultrahigh strength, good fracture toughness and ductility, excellent AM processability, and other useful engineering properties that suit critical industrial applications. Maraging Steel MS1 Powder – Key Properties

Mechanical Properties
Tensile Strength	Over 2450 MPa
Yield Strength (0.2% offset)	Over 2310 MPa
Elongation	8%
Hardness	Over 56 HRC

Physical Properties
Density	8.1 g/cm3

Performance Properties
Corrosion Resistance	Excellent, similar to 300-series stainless steels
Thermal Conductivity	10-12 W/m.K
Electrical Resistivity	0.8 microhm-cm

Key Characteristics:

• Ultrahigh strength from precipitation hardening
• Good fracture toughness despite very high strength
• Uniform properties and performance in AM
• Excellent dimensional capability in AM
• Consistent chemistry control of powder
• Good corrosion resistance
• High hardness maintains sharp tooling edges
• Capable of intricate, complex geometries from AM process

The combination of properties enables functional performance across critical components in aerospace, molds and dies, automotive, machinery, and other major industries.

Heat Treatment and Processing

A key step in achieving optimal properties in maraging steels is proper heat treatment and aging. MS1 powder requires optimized thermal processing parameters for additive manufacturing followed by aging treatment. Maraging Steel MS1 Standard Heat Treatment

Step	Temperature	Time	Phase/Condition
1	1160-1200°C	Varies	Solutionizing
2	490°C	6 Hours	Aging – hardening precipitates form
3	Cool to room temperature	–	Air cool or faster

AM Processing Recommendations

• Maintain chamber temperature at 80-100°C during builds
• Use support structures anchored to build plate
• Orient parts to enable support removal after process
• Machine as-built surfaces to relieve stresses prior to aging
• Apply HIP (Hot Isostatic Pressing) post-processing if needed
• Perform mill-anneal if extensive machining is required

Typical AM Process Parameters

Parameter	Details
Layer Thickness	20-50 μm
Laser Power	195-500 W
Scan Speed	800-3500 mm/s
Hatch Spacing	60-120 μm
Powder Bed Temp	80-100°C

Specialized AM processing is required to achieve fully dense MS1 components while maintaining particle bonding and optimized microstructure for subsequent property enhancement through aging treatment.

Applications of Maraging Steel MS1 Powder

With its high strength-to-weight ratio, good fracture toughness, and capabilities for complex geometries, maraging steel MS1 sees extensive demand across critical commercial and defense applications including: Typical Applications of Maraging Steel MS1 Parts

Industry	Components	Demand Drivers
Aerospace	Structural fittings, engine parts, landing gear, fasteners	High strength, weight reduction, fatigue resistance
Industrial Mold Tooling	Die casting molds, injection molds, blow molds	High hardness, dimensional stability, complex cooling channels
Automotive	Shafts, engine components, machining fixtures	High strength, fatigue life
Ordnance	Projectile bodies, retention components	Ultrahigh strength
Machinery	Rollers, shafts, press components, fixtures	Wear resistance, load capacity

In the aerospace sector, MS1 enables lighter weight airframe components and landing gear parts with equivalent or better mechanical performance compared to incumbent aerospace alloys. Production via AM facilitates complex optimized geometries not feasible with forging or casting processes used for conventional high-strength alloys. For metal injection molds and die casting dies, MS1 provides extreme pressure strength and long-term dimensional stability across hundreds of thousands of cycles along with integrated conformal cooling channels, lowering cycle times. Compared to tool steel molds prone to fatigue cracking and heat checking, MS1 molds offer higher production run lengths. Across automotive powertrain components subjected to cyclic loads and corrosive environments, MS1 demonstrates substantial durability and damage tolerance advantages over competing stainless or tool steel alloys. The high hardness outperforms lower strength alternatives for press dies and machining workholding fixtures as well.

Comparative Properties vs. Alternatives

Maraging steel MS1 presents distinct advantages in properties against other candidate materials used in similar application spaces: Maraging Steel MS1 versus Comparison Materials

Tool Steels	Good	Fair	Good	Fair	Fair
Stainless Steels	Fair	Excellent	Fair	Excellent	Excellent
Titanium Alloys	Good	Excellent	Good	Excellent	Fair
Superalloys	Excellent	Fair	Good	Fair	Fair

Discussion of Comparative Properties: In terms of tensile strength, maraging steel MS1 far exceeds aerospace aluminum grades, stainless steels, and even most tool steels except specialized cold-work tool steels. While titanium alloys and nickel superalloys can match the ultrahigh strengths of maraging, they lack the fracture toughness. For fracture toughness, MS1 demonstrates good resistance to crack growth and impact damage compared to high-strength materials like tool steels or superalloys which tend to be more brittle. However, titanium alloys and stainless steels provide better toughness. In fatigue strength, MS1 outperforms aluminum, stainless, tool steels, and even rivals titanium alloys with excellent fatigue life under cyclic stresses. This gives advantages for dynamic components. Corrosion resistance of MS1 is much better than tool steels and comparable to 300-series stainless grades, making it suitable for environments that would cause tool steel components to rust. Weldability is a key area where MS1 maraging grades shine compared to precipitation hardening stainless steels or age-hardened aluminum and titanium alloys. The low carbon and nickel alloying provides good weldability using several conventional and AM-based welding processes. On balance, MS1 presents highly competitive properties against incumbent materials used in similar engineering applications across aerospace, molds and dies, automotive, and general industrial sectors.

Cost Analysis

Maraging steel MS1 powder offers high-value performance but carries a pricing premium over more widely used metals: Price Comparison – Maraging Steel vs Alternatives

Material	Price ($/kg)	Relative Price
Maraging Steel MS1	$100-130	High
Tool Steel (P20)	$12-15	Low
Stainless Steel (316)	$8-12	Low
Aluminum Alloy (6061)	$3-5	Very Low
Titanium Alloy (Ti64)	$80-100	High
Nickel Superalloy (Inconel 718)	$90-120	Very High

Maraging steel is priced similarly to titanium alloys due to high material quality requirements and much more expensive than tool steels or stainless steels. However, the high cost is justified for critical components where higher performance in strength, fatigue life, hardness retention, and other properties is required. Cost Factors:

• Processing via powder metallurgy adds cost over wrought products
• Tighter chemistry requirements increase production costs
• Relatively lower production volumes compared to stainless steels
• High alloy percentages increase material inputs cost
• Specialized heat treatment process adds cost

The pricing premium limits usage to specific applications requiring exceptional properties. But with higher production volumes driven by Additive Manufacturing demand, some cost reduction is expected in the future.

Availability and Supply Chain

Maraging steel MS1 powder stock is supplied globally through specialty steel distributors and metal AM powder manufacturers: Key Maraging Steel MS1 Powder Suppliers

Company	HQ Location	Key Countries
Sandvik Osprey	UK	Europe, APAC
Carpenter Technology	USA	North America
Höganäs	Sweden	Europe, Asia
Praxair	USA	North America
Triton Alloys Inc.	Canada	North America
Beijing Xingrongyuan Technology	China	Asia Pacific

Custom variations of MS1 powder are also available for parameter optimization from leading metal AM system OEMs like GE Additive, EOS, 3D Systems, Renishaw, and more. Compared to widely mass-produced industrial alloys, maraging steel availability is lower volume but the expanding market is driven by high-performance applications in aerospace, defense, automotive, and industrial machinery sectors. Global supply chain logistics and localized production can meet rising demand from AM-enabled production.

Limitations and Concerns

While maraging steel MS1 presents excellent all-round properties, some limitations exist: Limitations of Maraging Steel MS1

Limitation	Description
High Cost	4-10X costlier than carbon or stainless steels limits use to critical components
Low Oxidation Resistance	Not recommended for prolonged use in oxidizing environments above 400°C
Requires Controlled Atmosphere	Requires low-oxygen environment during AM builds
Low Thermal Conductivity	AM-processed parts have lower conductivity affecting performance limits
Safety Concerns	Cobalt content raises respiratory hazard risks
Difficult Recyclability	Complex composition poses recycling challenges

The pricing premium is the most prohibitive factor limiting universal adoption. Use cases are restricted to high-value applications where mechanical performance merits the cost. Oxidation resistance is inferior to nickel superalloys or stainless alloys due to lower chromium and aluminum content. Prolonged high temperature operation requires protective coatings or controlled environments. Processability for powder bed fusion AM requires low-oxygen chambers to prevent oxidation while cobalt content poses respiratory risks during powder handling needing safety controls.

FAQs

Q: What are the key benefits of Maraging Steel MS1 for additive manufacturing? A: Key benefits include ultrahigh strengths exceeding 2450 MPa with good fracture toughness, consistent and predictable properties from controlled powder composition, excellent dimensional stability for AM parts, high hardness above 56 HRC rivaling cold work tool steels, thinner walls and lighter weights feasible over aluminum parts, capability to manufacture complex geometries, better longevity than tool steels under cyclic loads. Q: What material has properties closest to Maraging Steel MS1? A: In terms of combined ultrahigh strength with good fracture toughness, the closest alternative is aerospace titanium alloys like Ti64 (Ti-6Al-4V). However, Ti64 is more dense at 4.4 g/cc while MS1 provides higher specific strength. For hardness retention at over 56 HRC, cold work tool steels are the closest match but have lower fracture toughness. Q: What industries use Maraging Steel MS1 the most? A: Key industries using MS1 include aerospace for aircraft fittings, components, fasteners; mold tooling like injection molds, die casting dies for production of auto, consumer electronics parts; automotive drivetrain parts like shafts, gears, press components; industrial equipment like food processing rollers requiring corrosion resistance. Future growth areas involve wider adoption across vehicular structures, prosthetics, sporting goods. Q: Does MS1 require heat treatment before use? A: Yes, heat treatment through solution annealing followed by aging is critical to achieve the ultrahigh strength over 2450 MPa and hardness over 56 HRC through precipitation hardening mechanisms. Optimized AM build parameters combined with aging treatment result in peak mechanical performance. Q: Can you weld Maraging Steel MS1 parts? A: Yes, MS1 demonstrates good weldability comparable to 300-series stainless steels, unlike precipitation hardening grades of stainless which lose properties after welding. Matching composition filler material is recommended and aging treatment may be required after welding to restore peak strengths through the heat-affected zone.

Conclusion

With its tailored chemistry and processing route enabling over 2450 MPa strength after age hardening, Maraging Steel MS1 powder presents game-changing capabilities for next-generation aerospace, automotive, mold tooling, and critical industrial applications. The ultrahigh strengths rival cold work tool steels while providing competitive toughness against titanium or nickel alloys, corrosion resistance close to 300-series stainless grades, plus easier weldability than other precipitation hardening alloys. Additive manufacturing using MS1 unlocks unprecedented component performance filtering down from defense and aerospace sectors as AM scales up across wider commercial and consumer applications. As higher volume production driven by industrial metal AM expands, Maraging Steel MS1 will secure itself as an advanced engineering material providing the backbone of mobility, infrastructure and modern technological progress.