Kanthal invests in additive manufacturing and powder metallurgy
Swedish heating technology company Kanthal and metals research institute Swerim will invest in an ultra-modern atomizing equipment. The investment, worth 2 MEUR, will help Sweden maintain its world-leading position in the area of powder metallurgy.
The new equipment is designed for research and development of both materials and the atomizing process as such, in the area of powder metallurgy. It allows for atomizing of powder batches up to about 85 kgs, both for additive manufacturing (AM) and hot isostatic pressing (HIP) applications. The unit has a high material and process flexibility, which means great possibilities in development of materials and processes aiming towards both AM and powder metallurgy (PM).
”The investment will enable unique possibilities for us to develop materials for AM and to get new products out on the market, faster”, says Dilip Chandrasekaran, Head of R&D at Kanthal. ”The cooperation with Swerim will also allow for world-class research within this field which is strategic both for Kanthal and for Sweden.”
The joint investment lays the ground for a long-term partnership where Kanthal gets access to Swerim’s 60 years’ of experience in powder metallurgy, metal AM, advanced structural analysis, testing and modelling.
”Sweden is world-leading in the area of powder metals thanks to our long experience of in-depth research and continuous development of materials, processes and products”, says Jesper Vang, research leader in AM and powder metallurgy at Swerim. “The investment is a direct result of increased demand for research possibilities. To keep the leading position, Swedish companies have to be in the forefront when it comes to development of new materials and technologies”.
The new equipment will be installed in Swerim’s site in Kista, outside of Stockholm and is expected to be up and running by Q4, 2021.
For questions, please contact Dilip Chandrasekaran, Head of R&D at Kanthal, at dilip.chandrasekaran@kanthal.com or +46 730 559 002.
Kanthal® is a world-leading brand for products and services in the fields of sustainable industrial heating technology and resistance materials. The company is part of the Sandvik Group and has a strong tradition in innovation and extensive investments in R&D.
The company revolutionized the heating industry in 1931 by introducing the iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) alloy. Since then, Kanthal has launched game-changing materials and products, such as the high-power molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2) Kanthal® Super heating elements and the corrosion-resistant materials Kanthal® APM and APMT. In 2019, Kanthal launched their additive manufacturing services with Kanthal® AM100, the world’s first alloy for heating application that is specially developed for 3D-printing.
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