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LPW commences Plasma Spheroidisation of AM metal powders
Pilot plant for the production of nano-structured powders
The UK’s Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) and nine other European partners are collaborating in the design, LPW Technology has announced that its Plasma Sphescale-up and build of a high energy ball-mill (HEBM) roidisation equipment is now operational and processing pilot plant for the production and validation of innovative metal powders for use in the Additive Manufacturing nanostructured powders. These advanced powders will be industry. The process uses high energy plasma to able to be used in a number of high value manufacturing produce cleaner, highly spherical and dense metallic applications such as cutting tools, medical implants and a powders with greater flowability, reducing down time on range of aerospace and automotive components. the machine and speeding up the manufacturing process. The work is part of a four-year European research and “We are hugely excited to have this next generation development project titled ‘PilotManu’ which began in equipment on site for the benefit of our customers. LPW 2013. The €5.3 million project is partially funded by EU’s are constantly reacting to solve our customers problems Framework Programme Seven (FP7) and involves ten and ensure that we have the right solution to keep them partner organisations. The project partners include CPI on track,” stated Mike Ford, LPW’s Sales Director. “Our alongside MBN Nanomaterialia, IMDEA Materials Institute, Plasma Spheroidisation can produce the best metal +90, Putzier, INOP, Manudirect, IMPACT INNOVATIONS powders on the market. They are more spherical and GmbH, Matres and Diam Edil SA. cleaner than those currently available.” PilotManu is manufacturing the nanostructured The most significant benefit of this novel technology powders using a proprietary high energy ball milling techis perfectly spherical powder with no satellites, which nology developed by lead partner MBN Nanomaterialia. increases the flowability and packing density of the The technology will allow for the manufacture of powders powder, especially on AM machines where finer powder with ultrafine crystalline structures, meaning that products is required. Levels of surface contamination, compared to can be optimised to enhance strength, reduce weight or conventional gas atomised powders, are also reduced. provide excellent wear, corrosion or thermal resistance. www.lpwtechnology.com Dr Charanjeet Singh, Innovation Manager at CPI stated, “We are delighted with the progress of the PilotManu project so far. The consortium has been able to design and scale-up the manufacturing process. The pilot plant will come online in the next few months and we anticipate the production of some truly innovative powders which will be validated for their suitability and performance in a number of value adding applications.” “The pilot plant and the associated products developed by the consortium will significantly reduce the current Process Control and Quality Assurance Software for Additive Manufacturing productivity and cost barriers that are in the way of the An integrated, interactive system that market adoption of advanced powders. Once concluded, combines inspection, feedback, data collection the consortium will demonstrate the technological and FEATURES and critical analysis. economical viability of the pilot line by Process Control and Quality Assurance Software for Additive Manufacturing • Third party independent QAincorporating the powders into advanced materials targeted at a number • Platform independent FEATURES of applications such as wear resistant coatings, abrasive • Stand-alone or embedded • Third party independent QA FEATURES tools and Additive Manufacturing applications.” installations • Platform independent • Third party independent QA Project Coordinator Matteazzi from MBN • In-processProf layerPaolo by layer • Stand-alone or embedded installations • Platform independent Nanomaterialia added, “We expect that the High Energy • In-process layer by layer • Stand-alone or embedded Ball Milling pilot plant being developed in the PilotManu BENEFITS installations BENEFITS project will enable MBN Nanomaterialia to overcome the • Provides objective • In-process layer by layer • Provides objective evidence of compliance to productivity and cost barriers that are currently preventing evidence of compliance design intent to design of intent the commercialisation the advanced nanomaterials. • One system plant-wide One system plant-wide The new pilot•BENEFITS manufacturing line, based on the upscaling • Production optimization •• Provides objective of a current HEBM facility, will increase production by ten Production optimization • Early defect detection evidence of compliance times and allow us to enter the market for three main lines • Early defect detection • Scrap reduction and increased yield to design intent of innovative •products and technologies; the diamond tool Scrap reduction and • One system plant-wide increased yield for wear resistant coatings industry, CerMet and alloys • Production optimization and new mechanical alloyed composites for Additive +1 TM 505 438 2576 • Early defect detection ® The system pairs PrintRite3D SENSORPAK multi-sensors and Manufacturing.” ® TM ® TM hardware with PrintRite3D INSPECT , PrintRite3D CONTOUR • Scrap reduction and www.uk-cpi.com ® TM
An integrated, interactive system that combines inspection, feedback, data collection and critical analysis. An integrated, interactive system that combines inspection, feedback, data and PrintRite3D ANALYTICS software modules for comprehensive collection and critical analysis. management of AM processes.
The system pairs PrintRite3D® SENSORPAK TM multi-sensors and ® INSPECT TM, PrintRite3D CONTOURTM hardware PrintRite3D Metal with Additive Manufacturing | Spring® 2016 software modules for comprehensive and PrintRite3D® ANALYTICS Sensors & TM Hardware management of AM processes.
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Vol. 2 No. 1