The aerospace industry can now leverage Sandvik’s powder plant for titanium and nickel-based superalloys with serenity as it has received the ‘AS9100 Revision D’ certification.

The new plant for gas-atomized powders is based in Sandviken, Sweden, next to Sandvik’s additive manufacturing facility, which includes all important AM processes for metals. Such proximity facilitates a customized production of powders for different printing processes.

Sandvik is no stranger to powder atomization and its related requirements

With over 40 years in the atomization of fine metal powders, Sandvik continues to listen to the market needs and to deliver products that strictly meet these needs. In this sense, it is no secret that sustainable manufacturing has become a key priority for the industry. Industrial manufacturers but also material producers therefore develop solutions to enable this new mode of developing products.

At the materials level, and in the AM industry especially, the strong yet light Titanium material offers high levels of corrosion resistance that are coveted by industrials. Customizing these powders for AM has led to this shift towards sustainable manufacturing, as the technology enables less material waste than traditional subtractive techniques.

Sandvik has therefore gained more acknowledgement in the industry with the development of its Lightweight CoroMill® 390, “where the additive version of the mill is more than 80% lighter and up to 200% more productive”, as per the words of the producer.

. “[…] Weight reduction is for example a constant key issue for the aerospace industry, driven both by fuel cost and carbon footprint. The same is true for cars and trucks, and everything else that moves. Each kilogram of weight loss on an airplane saves about 3,000 US dollars per year in fuel – and can make a great difference for the planet,” says Keith Murray, VP Global Sales, Sandvik Additive Manufacturing.

Furthermore, two other requirements that of paramount importance in the aerospace industry are traceability and consistency. Thanks to its full supply chain inhouse, Sandvik can provide complete traceability for its Titanium powder, from titanium sponge to finished powder. To achieve this level of traceability, the company relies on automation.

As surprising as it may sound, even materials development require automation. The company explains that its titanium powder process uses advanced electrode inert gas atomization technology. Such technology can produce highly consistent and repeatable titanium powder with low oxygen and nitrogen levels. The automated production process is also supported by several industrial robots and a dedicated downstream sieving, blending and packing facility.

“In additive manufacturing it is essential to use high-quality metal powders with consistent quality, adapted to the different additive manufacturing processes. Our highly automated manufacturing process ensures excellent consistency – and the powders demonstrate optimal particle size distribution,” says Keith Murray.

Kristian Egeberg, President of Sandvik Additive Manufacturing concludes; “Sandvik is a world leader in metal powder for additive manufacturing with the widest alloy program on the market. Titanium powders represent the latest application of 158 years of materials knowledge and R&D – and more than 40 years in-house powder manufacturing capabilities. With the AS9100D certification together with all our experts in materials, metal powder and additive manufacturing, we can now help our customers succeed even faster in this high-growth area.”

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