Metal 3D Printing Powder Prices: Reading the Q4 2026 Data
Two published Chinese metal powder price lists, both dated 7 October 2026, differ by a factor of roughly thirty for the same metal. Neither number is wrong. They are measuring two different products, and telling them apart is the single most useful thing a buyer can do before asking for a quote.
Every figure below is dated. The commodity index is published on a 30-day delay and the AM-grade figures are indicative list prices, not transaction prices. When this article is refreshed, the date changes and the old figures are not carried forward.
Nothing here is a quotation from LASEM. For our own prices and lead times, use the quote form.
What metal 3D printing powder prices actually look like right now
These are the two lists as published on 7 October 2026. The teal rows are AM-grade spherical alloys sold for laser powder bed fusion (LPBF, widely called SLM or DMLS). The grey rows are commodity and industrial powders quoted by mesh grade.
Swipe the chart sideways to read it →
| Product | Grade / band | CNY / kg |
|---|---|---|
| 316L stainless | 15–45 µm, domestic standard | 380–520 |
| AlSi10Mg | 20–63 µm | 850–1,300 |
| Ti-6Al-4V (TC4) | 15–45 µm; ELI ≈ +35% | 1,200–1,800 |
| Inconel 718 | 15–45 µm, Ni/Cr/Nb verification | 2,100–2,900 |
| Tungsten carbide | −200 mesh, standard grade | 800–830 |
| Tungsten powder | −200 mesh, standard grade | 840–870 |
| Electrolytic nickel | −200 mesh | 140–150 |
| Electrolytic chromium | −200 mesh | 140–150 |
| Electrolytic copper | standard grade | 117–118 |
| Cobalt powder | −200 mesh | 36–38 |
| Aluminium powder | −200 / −300 mesh, falling | 26.5–26.7 |
| Lead powder | −200 mesh | 15.9–16.1 |
Left column: Shunqi 2026 AM-grade reference listing (316L quoted at 7–15 days lead time; Ti-6Al-4V oxygen ≤ 0.01 wt% for ELI-grade). Right column: PowderSight commodity and industrial powder index, 7 Oct 2026.
The raw metals behind those numbers moved in opposite directions on the same day: electrolytic copper was up at 68,500–68,800 CNY/t, A00 aluminium was down at 18,200–18,300 CNY/t, and lead was flat at 15,800–15,900 CNY/t. A single-metal quote therefore ages quickly, which is one reason we quote against a written specification rather than a spot number.
Why a commodity index and an AM-grade quote are not comparable
The giveaway is the specification column, not the number.
A commodity powder is sold on mesh grade — “−200 mesh”, “standard grade”. It goes into brazing alloys, batteries, coatings and conventional sintering. AM-grade powder for laser powder bed fusion is sold on particle size distribution, sphericity, flow behaviour, apparent and tap density, and chemistry. The reference standards that matter here are ASTM F2924 for Ti-6Al-4V, ASTM F3318 for AlSi10Mg, ASTM F3301 for post-processing, and the ISO/ASTM 52900 series for process naming.
So the headline comparison — commodity aluminium powder at 26.5–26.7 CNY/kg against AM-grade AlSi10Mg at 850–1,300 CNY/kg — is a roughly 32× gap that is not a supplier margin at all. It is the difference between a mesh-grade elemental powder and a gas-atomised alloy qualified for laser powder bed fusion. Quoting them side by side without that distinction is the most common way buyers get confused.
Methodology matters just as much. The commodity index states plainly that it is the median of certified supplier quotes, published with a 30-day delay, and that it is not a transaction price. The AM-grade figures are indicative list prices. Neither is a statement about what a specific lot will actually cost you.
Capacity headlines need the same scepticism. AVIC Maite (Avimetal AM Tech) opened Phase III of its Xuzhou site in October 2026, adding a reported 2,000 tonnes per year of metal powder capacity plus room for 300 LPBF printers a year. That is nameplate capacity on lines that were still being commissioned — not shipped output, and not a utilisation rate. Announcements of this kind describe what a plant could make once it is running.
Three practical rules follow:
- Never compare an index number to a supplier quote until you have confirmed the product class, the PSD band and the measurement basis on both sides.
- Treat any published price as expired within weeks, not as a reference you can budget against.
- Ask for the certificate of analysis for the actual lot. A list price and a lot-specific CoA are different documents.
What actually moves an AM-grade powder price
Four variables explain most of the spread between the low and high end of each range above.
Oxygen content, especially in titanium
This is the largest technical lever. Aerospace-grade Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5) is typically held below 0.13 wt% oxygen, with tighter grades reaching 0.007–0.013 wt%. Extra-low interstitial (Grade 23 ELI) carries roughly a 35% premium over Grade 5 — which is exactly why the reference list quotes a range rather than a single number for titanium. Titanium is never water-atomised; gas atomisation or plasma rotating electrode process is required to keep pickup inside the certificate limit.
Particle size distribution
Laser powder bed fusion generally wants roughly 15–45 µm, with some suppliers tightening toward 20–45 µm for thinner layers. Typical values are D10 around 15–20 µm, D50 around 30–40 µm and D90 below 53 µm. A distribution that is too wide degrades spreading and melt-pool stability, and it is invisible unless the supplier reports the D-values rather than a band.
Sphericity and satellites
Gas-atomised aluminium powder for LPBF is typically specified above 90% sphericity. Hollow particles and satellites cause spatter and porosity. The measurement method matters too: laser diffraction (ASTM B822) plus dynamic image analysis is now the standard combination, and sieving to ASTM B214 is no longer accepted as the sole PSD method for LPBF powder because it cannot resolve fines below roughly 20 µm.
Reuse economics
Qualified reuse limits are typically 5–10 cycles for titanium and 10–20 for 316L before powder must be downcycled or scrapped. Every sieve-and-blend cycle adds oxygen and shifts the PSD, so recycled lots should carry a declared cycle count. Recycled powder is legitimately cheaper, but it is a different product from virgin powder and should be priced as one.
Our material pages carry the specific numbers we work to — Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5), stainless steel 316L, AlSi10Mg and copper — and we ship the same grades we would quote against.
How to read a supplier's quote before you buy
Ask any supplier, including us, these seven questions. A supplier who cannot answer them clearly is telling you something.
- Which product class? Mesh-grade commodity powder, or AM-grade with a stated PSD band?
- PSD method and D-values. Which measurement method, and what are D10 / D50 / D90 — not just “15–45 µm”.
- Oxygen content and method. What is the actual figure, and what limit is this lot held to?
- Reuse declaration. Is virgin electrode stock used, is recycled blending allowed, and how many cycles has this lot seen?
- Quality system. ISO 9001, AS9100 for aerospace, NADCAP where the application requires it — stated in writing, not implied.
- Storage and shelf life. Argon-sealed storage with a stated shelf life, typically six months for aluminium.
- Lot traceability. A certificate of analysis issued for the lot you receive, not a generic datasheet.
We also check the combustion-dust hazard properly: aluminium, titanium and magnesium powders are Class A combustibles under NFPA 484 and need grounded equipment with inert purge cycles. No water on a titanium fire. If your supplier has never mentioned this, ask about it.
Where this leaves a buyer
The useful conclusion is not a number. It is that the cheapest powder quote you find is almost never the same product as the one that will print your part. Specify first — PSD, oxygen, sphericity, certification, lot traceability — then compare prices between suppliers who meet that specification.
If you want our AM-grade grades quoted against your specification, send the grade, quantity and destination and we will come back with a written price. Metal powder can be supplied on its own, separate from any printed parts: see metal and nylon powder supply. If your order needs a Chinese dual-use export licence, check powder export eligibility by country first — it tells you which grades need a licence and how long it takes.
Sources: PowderSight commodity and industrial powder index, data dated 7 Oct 2026 (30-day delayed median of certified supplier quotes). Shunqi 2026 market reference listing for AM-grade spherical powders. AMPulse AM Weekly, 4 Oct 2026, for the AVIC Maite Xuzhou Phase III capacity report. Figures are published reference data for sourcing context and do not constitute a quotation.