EOS NickelAlloy 247 for Additive Manufacturing
Advanced Processing with Beam Shaping Technology
November 03, 2025 | Reading time: 5 min
Superalloys are a class of metallic materials engineered to perform under extreme conditions. Their ability to retain mechanical strength at high temperatures makes them indispensable in aeroengines, power plants, and defense equipment.
One of the highly desired materials in the AM industry is the superalloy 247, which is renowned for its superior strength and high temperature endurance. However, this superalloy has presented unique challenges (see Figure 1) in AM such as:
- Microcracking during laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) processing
- Macrocracking during post-processing heat treatments
Despite strong industry demand, the additive manufacturing of alloy 247 has long been held back by these processing and post-processing challenges. But that is now changing: with the addition of EOS NickelAlloy 247 to our superalloy materials portfolio, we are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with AM - combining advanced processing strategies with our state-of-the-art beam shaping technology and advanced post-processing know-how to unlock the full potential of this high-performance material.
Beam Shaping
Over the years, several strategies have been explored to reduce cracking in crack-susceptible materials like Alloy 247, including modifying the alloy’s chemical composition or implementing complex machine adaptations such as high-temperature preheating. While these methods have shown some success, they often come with process stability and scalability trade-offs. With the introduction of our next-generation beam shaping technology, we now have a powerful new tool to address these challenges without compromising productivity or part quality.
In conventional LPBF systems, single-mode lasers typically operate with a Gaussian intensity distribution. This limits the control of melt pool dynamics, especially for materials prone to cracking.
With beam shaping, we can change the intensity distribution between a core Gaussian profile and a ring profile in various modes – see Figure 2. From mode 0 (full Gaussian) to mode 6 (full ring), we can select a suitable intensity distribution depending on the type of material and process requirements. This flexibility enables us to tailor the energy input to the specific needs of the material and application, opening up new possibilities for processing alloys that were previously considered unprintable.
In conventional LPBF processes using standard Gaussian processes with deeper melt pools, microcracking tends to occur where two solidification fronts meet, especially where their misorientation is high. Furthermore, cracks predominantly form at grain boundaries, resulting in a high crack density with the fine-grained microstructures generated with the Gaussian laser beam profile. Low layer thicknesses and laser powers need to be used to prevent cracking with these standard processes. This results in excessively long build times and unstable processes which produce poor and inconsistent properties. With beam shaping, the intensity distribution can be modified to create different types of melt pool geometries, which enable us to maintain a semicircular or flat melt pool shape while operating with higher powers and typical layer thicknesses.
Flatter melt pools lead to more directional solidification along the build direction, thereby preventing the collision of misoriented solidification fronts in the melt pool center. This results in extremely low crack densities in the as-built state. Further, the consistent and directional solidification at the melt pool level enables tailoring grain sizes for desired property profiles. For example, larger grains may be preferable for creep properties, while smaller grains provide higher strength or longer fatigue life. After complete heat treatment, LPBF material from beam shaping processes can generate grain sizes ranging from multiple 100 µm to 1 mm, which is significantly larger than those typically seen for LPBF.
Additionally, nearly crack-free samples with defect percentages lower than 0.04% in the as-built state can be produced – see Figure 4. The few remaining defects can be treated using a post-processing Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) - see Figure 5.
From Concept to Application: What’s Next for EOS NickelAlloy 247
We aim to integrate cutting-edge hardware, deep materials and process expertise, and tailored post-processing to minimize microcracking and unlock the full potential of this high-performance alloy. Our focus is on small to medium-sized components for energy, aerospace, and defense applications, where the high-temperature capabilities of EOS NickelAlloy 247 are most critical. Given the technical complexity involved, this process is initially offered in conjunction with Additive Minds collaboration projects, rather than as a fully developed product.
This consists of:
- In-depth part and application evaluation
- Design and process optimization
- Customized parameter development and validation
- Benchmark builds and post-processing guidance
Through this hands-on approach, we help customers bring their EOS NickeAlloy 247 applications to life—while also advancing the broader capabilities of AM for crack-sensitive materials.
Written by Shaafi Shaikh and Tobias Novotny
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