“There are currently only a few low- and medium-alloyed steels on the market that can be processed by additive manufacturing. Bainidur® AM meets this (criteria), as it can be used to print initial samples quickly and efficiently that also have the subsequent component properties,” the German company said in a statement. 

“The heat treatment and thermochemical surface treatments can be tested and optimized with the same material as is done in serial production. The spare part — additively manufactured when the forging dies have long since disappeared — cannot be told apart from the original, either,” it said.