T GE
The sustainability of Metal Injection Moulding: From powder to feedstock and finished parts A Special Interest Seminar in the programme of the virtual Euro PM2021 conference, organised by the European Powder Metallurgy Association (EPMA) and held October 18-22, 2021, focused on developments aimed at enhancing the sustainability of production by Metal Injection Moulding. This seminar comprised three presentations from representatives of different points in the MIM process chain.
At the start point of the process chain, Paul A Davies, Sandvik Additive Manufacturing, UK/ Sweden, presented the perspective of the leading supplier of atomised powders to the MIM and Additive Manufacturing sectors [1]. After an initial discussion of the sustainability credentials of the Sandvik group as a whole, the presentations turned to a consideration of the metal powder producing business in particular. A number of sustainability goals, set by the business for 2030, were defined. In terms of circularity, measures associated with customers, the Sandvik operations themselves, and key suppliers to the business, were discussed. Business models for recycling/ circularity are being developed with customers. Within the company’s operations, at least 90% material circularity is sought for packaging, products, waste, and suppliers, with recycling processes significantly
Vol. 16 No. 1 © 2022 Inovar Communications Ltd
reducing energy consumption, lowering carbon emissions and producing less waste. The climate goal is to halve CO2 impact by 2030, throughout the same customeroperations-suppliers chain. In relation to waste, the company needs to find a 38.8 kton reduction by 2030. In 2020, a year-on-year
waste reduction of 18% was achieved (Fig. 1), giving an encouraging start on the trajectory towards the 2030 target. Fig. 2 shows that, over the 2016–2020 period, the reduction in CO2 emissions is also well on target to achieve the 50% reduction by 2030. Recognising that it operates in heavy industry, where the work
100
70 Waste kton
The sustainability of inert gas atomised powders for MIM and AM
Slope to 2030 target
50
25
0
78
87
71
2016-2018 avg
2019
2020
Fig. 1 Progress towards targets in waste reduction [1]
March 2022 PIM International
95
F PD
The sustainability of MIM
| contents | news | advertisers | events | website | e-newsletter |