AccScience Publishing / MSAM / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/MSAM026130021
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Laser powder bed fusion of Ni–Fe–Mo permalloy

Nicolas Ayers1 ,  Nemanja Kljestan2 ,  Saeyeong Jeon3 ,  Marko Knezevic2 ,  Yong Kyu Yoon3 ,  Yongho Sohn1*
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1 Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, United States of America
2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, United States of America
3 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
MSAM, 026130021 https://doi.org/10.36922/MSAM026130021
Received: 26 March 2026 | Revised: 18 April 2026 | Accepted: 24 April 2026 | Published online: 26 May 2026
© 2026 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Nickel (Ni)–iron (Fe)–molybdenum (Mo) permalloy is a high-permeability soft magnetic alloy widely used for magnetic shielding, yet conventional processing limits geometric complexity. This study evaluates laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) processing of Ni–Fe–Mo permalloy and establishes a process–microstructure–property framework. A systematic parameter study identified an optimal condition of 200 W laser power and 900 mm/s scan speed, producing near-fully dense material (99.65%) with negligible, yet persistent solidification cracking. The as-built microstructure exhibited a pronounced <100> fiber texture and a fine cellular solidification structure with Mo segregation at cell boundaries. Annealing at 1,100°C reduced microstrain, weakened texture, and partially homogenized segregation through recrystallization. Tensile testing showed that the LPBF-processed material had higher yield strength but lower ductility than wrought permalloy due to residual microcracks. Magnetic measurements confirm soft-ferromagnetic behavior, with annealing reducing coercivity from 83 A/m to 10 A/m while preserving saturation magnetization. These results demonstrate that LPBF-processed Ni–Fe–Mo permalloy is a viable pathway for fabricating complex magnetic shielding components; however, effective crack mitigation and microstructural homogenization would likely require tailored post-LPBF heat treatments and, potentially, targeted alloy composition modifications.

Graphical abstract
Keywords
Laser powder bed fusion
Additive manufacturing
Soft magnetic material
Permalloy
Microstructure
Mechanical properties
Funding
This study was funded by Philips Medical Systems (grant number: 8600136118) and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council (grant number: 2026-004).
Conflict of interest
Yongho Sohn serves as an Editorial Board Member of the journal but was not in any way involved in the editorial and peer-review process conducted for this paper, directly or indirectly. The other authors declare they have no competing interests. In addition, the views, opinions, and conclusions made in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of Philips Medical Systems.
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Materials Science in Additive Manufacturing, Electronic ISSN: 2810-9635 Published by AccScience Publishing
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