Heavy-weight 3D printing

Research institute Swerim and Kanthal have joined forces to invest in ultra-modern pilot atomizing equipment. ”This will give us unique possibilities within powder metallurgy and metal additive manufacturing,” says Dilip Chandrasekaran, Head of R&D at Kanthal.

The pilot atomizer will enable atomizing of powder batches up to about 85 kg for both additive manufacture – also known as 3D printing – and hot isostatic pressing applications. “The main challenges in 3D printing today is to increase process reliability, lower production costs and optimize the product design,” Dilip says. ”To put 85 kg in context, Kanthal at the moment has a pilot melting facility that can handle two kg.”

“Kanthal has a unique materials portfolio, expertise within powder metallurgy and ongoing research into additive manufacturing,” he says. “But we can go even further and create an even stronger market position thanks to the joint development around gas-atomization together with Swerim.”

“By continuously investing in R&D and working closely with Marketing, Production and Sales, our ambition, at Kanthal, is to shorten the time to market” Dilip says. “For metallurgists and materials engineers there are a lot of great opportunites at Kanthal since we have the whole range from traditional metallurgical processes – AOD melting, casting, rolling – to powder metallurgy and the potential to utilize AM for the design of new solutions”