Powdermet plans capacity expansion

Powdermet plans capacity expansion POWDERMET Inc (Sun Valley, CA, USA) is planning to expand capacity for its nanoengineered powder products to about 900 metric tonnes (2 million lb) annually. Current capacity is about 45 metric tonnes (50 ton). president Company Andrew Sherman anticipates securing the required financing for this expansion within the next quarter. “We expect to exceed our current capacity within five months”, he says. Powdermet manufactures nano engineered powder products using its patented Fast-Fluidized Bed Chemical Vapor Deposition (FFBCVD) process, which enables atomic level control over metal and ceramic microstructures. In turn this allows the final material properties to be designed and built in to the raw material at very low added cost, the company says. Powdermet’s products are distributed to component manufacturers in the electronic packaging, automotive, tool and die, heavy equipment, and aerospace and defence market segments, and to thermal spray and wire arc transfer coatings suppliers. The company was founded in

1996, and acquired 22 years worth of developtechnology from ment Ultramet Inc in 1997. Since its inception it has secured over US$2 million in development funds from government and industry customers to develop its next generation of engineered materials. Indeed, Powdermet recently received two further US Department of Defense SBIR Phase 1 contracts. The first is to develop spray formed high stiffaluminium ness metal matrix composites. The innovation in this project is the combination of aluminiurn coated SIC with a thermal spray forming that integrates spray forming and post-forming mechanical working in one step. Powdermet will produce the Al-Sic powders, and join forces with Plasma Technologies for the thermal spray process development. The second award is for high stiffness dimensionally stable mirror structures, for potential use in space telescopes, produced to near net shape using an innovative graphite-sic composite.

Powdermet 818-768-6420; 768-6012.

Inc; tel: +lfax: +l-818-

Osprey Metals adds MMCs to aluminium product range OSPREY Metals Ltd of Neath, UK, a producer of high-performance aluminiurn-based and other materials by the Osprey spray forming process, has expanded its product line with a range of aluminium metal matrix composites (MMCs). The MMCs are reinforced with SIC and other ceramic particles, and are suited primarily for applications demanding increased stiffness together with good strength and durability.

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Initial application areas include the aerospace, highperformance automotive and recreational products markets. Osprey says its MMC products fill an important niche of high-performance products at low cost. In other news, Osprey has received alloy designations from the Aluminum Association for its Al-ZnMg-Cu, Al-Si-Fe-Ni and AlLi-Zr alloys.

Osprey Metals; +441639-634121; fa3c:+44-16396301 00.