Metal powder-based manufacturing process in low impurity gas atmosphere and system

A process for transforming/converting metal, the process comprising:

• Introducing an inert gas into a manufacturing chamber defining a total gas volume and being provided in a sealed vessel containing a metal transformation/conversion unit that comprises a metal-based powder manufacturing unit configured to atomize powder particles, wherein the powder particles have a mean diameter ranging between about 10 μm and about 125 μm;
• purifying the inert gas at least one of before introduction into the manufacturing chamber and following introduction into the manufacturing chamber to lower an oxygen partial pressure below about 100 ppb to obtain a purified inert gas;
• introducing the purified inert gas into the manufacturing chamber;
• and heating a metal-based feedstock with the metal transformation/conversion unit to transform/convert the metal-based feedstock into at least one resultant part in the manufacturing chamber containing the purified inert gas,
• wherein the process further comprises:
• withdrawing continuously between 1 and 50 vol % of the total gas volume per minute of gas from the manufacturing chamber while heating the metal-based feedstock to produce a withdrawn inert gas;
• purifying the withdrawn inert gas to lower its oxygen partial pressure below about 100 ppb, and
• then, introducing the purified inert gas into the manufacturing chamber.