Additive Industries
Additive Industries has announced Sandvik as an approved powder supply partner for its metal additive manufacturing powder loading platform.
The Dutch 3D printing company’s MetalFab Powder Load Tool (PLT) is now available for direct filling and transportation for users of its flagship MetalFab multi-laser powder bed fusion systems with Sandvik’s Osprey 718 nickel-based superalloy (IN718), Osprey 316L stainless steel and Osprey Ti-6Al-4V-ELI (Grade 23) titanium alloys.
Mark Massey, CEO of Additive Industries, said, "We recognise the critical nature of the powder feedstock in our systems, both from a quality and safety perspective, which is why the MetalFab is designed to minimise exposure of powder particles to oxygen, moisture and human contact. The PLT enables material to be packaged and maintained in inert conditions directly at the production source and transported direct to site in bulk quantities, avoiding the need for plastic containers, where it can be loaded directly into the MetalFab system. Further, it ensures that powder not in the MetalFab is constantly kept under inert conditions when connected, and can be loaded to the system at any point it is needed, including while the system is printing."
The partnership aims to offer a complete and controlled solution for getting powder feedstock to MetalFab users, with inert storage and transportation conditions taking materials from atomiser to printed part. Per a press release, Sandvik is able to fill the Additive Industries PLT under controlled conditions at its production site in Sweden and transport to the customer, ensuring total control of powder feedstock materials, quality and health and safety of operators with no contact or exposure to metal powder at any point in the process chain. The PLTs have been approved for road, rail and sea transport and can contain up to 175L of metal powder, which, according to Additive industries, can translate into about 600kg of steel powder depending on the density. The PLT also features on board sensors to check the correct powder is loaded, and facilitates automatic loading and unloading.
Andrew Coleman, VP Business Unit AM, Powder Solutions, Sandvik, added: “We are committed to using engineering and innovation to make the shift towards more industrial solutions and the PLT is a natural addition to enabling increased efficiency and safety for our customers’ staff. We look forward to continuing pushing the boundaries of metal powder for additive manufacturing technologies.”
