In accordance with Additive Manufacturing Analysis (AMR), metallic 3D printing supplies had been valued at $920 million in 2023. Nevertheless, solely a really small proportion of that sector is definitely centered on producing high quality powders from recycled metals. That is more likely to change as useful resource shortage, excessive costs, and environmental impression drive producers towards sustainable alternate options.
Among the many corporations main this nascent development is Continuum Powders. The Houston-based startup is additional decreasing the impression of metallic AM on the setting by signing offers with Precedence Energy and Airgas. These agreements will imply that not solely will the corporate be producing supplies from 100% recycled metallic, however it would achieve this whereas decreasing general power consumption considerably.
The contract with Precedence Energy will see Continuum receiving 100% renewable electrical energy sourced from hydropower. This shift to renewable electrical energy is anticipated to drastically cut back power consumption – from 1700 kWh/kg to a mere 17 kWh/kg, a fraction of what’s used when counting on conventional grid electrical energy. Additional strengthening its dedication to sustainability, Continuum Powders has additionally partnered with Airgas for the provision of argon fuel. This fuel, important in metallic powder processing, will now be licensed as being produced with 99.8% renewable inexperienced power.
The Greyhound M2P 3.0. Picture courtesy of Continuum Powders.
Final November, Continuum launched the newest model of its Greyhound M2P (melt-to-powder) platform. Counting on a high-intensity DC plasma warmth supply, the system melts and atomizes alloyed metallic waste into powder in a single step, considerably decreasing transportation, dealing with, and processing prices, and minimizing the necessity for mining new metallic assets. The synergistic impact of those renewable power sources, coupled with Continuum Powders’ distinctive processing strategies, is anticipated to deliver the corporate’s complete power consumption near zero.
“It’s one factor to say to be ‘inexperienced’ or use inexperienced power,” acknowledged Phil Ward, chief government officer of Continuum Powders. “It’s a totally completely different factor to really decide to the motion and provide prospects a viable and really clear, sustainable providing that has an actual and definable impression on their very own sustainability and decarbonization initiatives. Continuum Powders is the one metallic powders firm in the present day that’s actively decreasing its carbon footprint in each step of the provision chain as a purpose to achieve web zero carbon depth.”
In accordance with Grandview Analysis, the worldwide recycled metallic market dimension was valued at $1.07 billion in 2022 and is anticipated to develop at a compound annual progress charge (CAGR) of 5.6 % from 2023 to 2030. Given AMR’s close to $1 billion estimate for metallic AM supplies for 2023 in complete, Continuum has positioned itself on the head of a small pack of corporations centered on recycling metallic to create metallic powders for AM. This consists of 6K and IperionX, specifically.
If we take a 2:1 weighting favoring the AM market progress charge, reflecting its fast progress, in comparison with the scale of recycled metals general, we’d anticipate a CAGR for recycled metals for AM to about 24 %. This determine is just an estimate, however, given the broad vary of initiatives being pursued by the Biden Administration and governments globally, it may precisely mirror actuality.
As a result of AM corporations are already touting the expertise as sustainable, it would develop into more and more needed for corporations within the sector to handle such essential issues as power enter. By doing so early on in its roadmap, Continuum has given itself a head begin which may be essential amid world decarbonization. As an example, when authorities companies are awarding grants for superior manufacturing, they could go for the extra sustainable of the bunch.
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