Sandvik, Sweden, announces that its new state-of-the art titanium powder plant and additive manufacturing operations, both on the same site in Sandviken, have recently received the prestigious ‘AS9100 Revision D’ certification for deliveries to the aerospace industry. This means that the company can tailor the powder to different printing processes, on the same site.
According to Kristian Egeberg, President of Sandvik Additive Manufacturing, “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.”
Sandvik can offer an incomparable level of traceability for its titanium powder, which is made possible by having the full supply chain in house – from titanium sponge to finished powder. The new titanium powder process uses advanced electrode inert gas atomization technology to 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.
The launch of titanium powders for additive manufacturing supports a growing trend toward the 3D printing of titanium parts – and the shift towards sustainable manufacturing. The additive process results in far less material waste than traditional subtractive techniques, while also encouraging new levels of design freedom. This is opening up the use of titanium in other industries such as automotive and tooling. Sandvik’s own Lightweight CoroMill 390 (shown in photo) is an excellent proof of the latter, where the additive version of the mill is more than 80% lighter and up to 200% more productive. The additive version of CoroMill 390 milling cutter has resulted in optimized design, 80% lower weight, and up to 200% increased productivity.
The first two powders produced at the plant will be Osprey Ti-6Al-4V Grade 5 and Osprey Ti-6Al-4V Grade 23. Other alloys are available on request.
