- Email: [email protected]
Unveiling additive manufacturing with metal powders industry trends with technology interventions and competitive landscape as frame of reference
d
Volume xxx, Number xx
d
xxxx 2018
metal-powder.net
Unveiling additive manufacturing with metal powders industry trends with technology interventions and competitive landscape as frame of reference Sunil Hebbalkar In the past few years, additive manufacturing with metal powders industry has gained rapid traction in the metal manufacturing sector, prominently in those regions where conventional manufacturing encounters limitations related to manufacturing capability and design methodology. Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, has been gaining significant popularity across the globe on account of its excellent design flexibility and improved production capability. Considering the fact that the additive manufacturing process can be used to develop critically complex parts, it has been implemented in the medical sector to manufacture implants. For instance, recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved spinal implants made of titanium alloys with 3D printing technology. The approval for 3D printed medical implants from regulatory bodies is thus likely to have a considerable impact on additive manufacturing with metal powders industry outlook. In addition, several giants in additive manufacturing with metal powders market are investing heavily in new product development and strategic collaborations to enhance the methodology portfolio in 3D printing processes. In this current era driven by automation and digitalization, the development of advanced manufacturing processes has left a profound imprint on additive manufacturing with metal powders industry trends. In fact, many metal manufacturing and automation companies are constantly focusing on the enhancement of metal additive manufacturing technologies with regard to mass customization, on-demand production, and digitalization – right from idea generation to prototype manufacturing. The increasing adoption of innovative technologies across the metal manufacturing sector is also slated to have a profound influence on additive manufacturing with metal powders market share. In this regard, a detailed insight into the prominent additive manufacturing processes, their productive benefits, process advancements, and the role of industry contributors in impelling additive manufacturing with metal powders market size has been explained in the sections underneath (see Table 1).
E-mail address: [email protected]
Direct metal deposition (DED)|The robust implementation of high-profile projects |Unveiling the influence of DED technology on additive manufacturing with metal powders market share It is prudent to mention that DED is essentially a layer-based additive manufacturing process, in which high power laser is used to melt metal powder for making three-dimensional objects. This technology enables metal manufacturers to develop realistic objects with a higher level of accuracy and excellent quality, speed, and economy. In consequence, the process is being used in myriad industrial applications including direct metal prototypes, die repair and renovation, surface modification and coatings, and parts repairing in aerospace industry, thus impelling the application landscape of the overall additive manufacturing with metal powders market. In addition, lately, laser technology is being widely deployed in direct metal deposition, further extending the growth prospects of additive manufacturing with metal powders industry. In order to achieve higher cost-effectiveness and develop high-performance metal objects for the automotive and aerospace domains, many companies are looking forward to developing robot-assisted laser metal deposition process. One of the renowned manufacturers of industrial robots, KUKA Industries, in June 2017, collaborated with the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) to work on an automation project called ProLMD to develop larger metallic components with laser metal deposition process. Additionally, the additive manufacturing with metal powders industry giant has also been providing innovative manufacturing process solutions for several other tech giants including Daimler, Airbus, Laserline, MTU, BCT, and MBraun. Considering the shifting trends toward the surging adoption of the DED process for several industrial applications, additive manufacturing with metal powders market size from direct metal deposition
1369-7021/Ó 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mprp.2018.03.002
Please cite this article in press as: S. Hebbalkar, Met Powder Rep. (2018), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mprp.2018.03.002
1
SPECIAL FEATURE
Metal Powder Report
SPECIAL FEATURE
Metal Powder Report
d
Volume xx, Number xx
d
xxx 2018
TABLE 1
Additive manufacturing process benefits and advancements.
SPECIAL FEATURE
Sr. No
Additive manufacturing process
Process benefits
Process advancement
1
Direct metal deposition (DED)
2
Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS)
Implementation of sensor technology in closed loop control DED has been observed to improve process capability, stimulating DED-based additive manufacturing with metal powders industry trends. Companies in additive manufacturing with metal powders market have been continuously conducting R&D activities to overcome the limitation of surface smoothness
3
Electron beam melting (EBM)
Speed: production time reduced by 40% Quality: objects can be manufactured with 0.001 accuracy Economy: result into low tooling cost Time: reduces overall production cycle time Improvement in mechanical properties of product as compared to casting process Effective weight reduction Minimal additional finishing required Useful in processing of highly reactive materials Offers high degree of product customization Lower power consumption Required lower installation and maintenance costs
technology is likely to register a stupendous CAGR of 26% over 2017–2024.
Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) |Healthcare & aerospace sectors to fuel DMLS-based additive manufacturing with metal powders industry Laser sintering is one of the latest technologies used in metal manufacturing for producing low cost, high quality, and multifunctional objects in order to fulfill the ever-changing consumer demands. Most of the companies partaking in additive manufacturing with metal powders market share are now primarily focusing on the minimization of product cycle times to enhance the development process. As of now, it has been observed that most of the aerospace companies have adopted the direct metal laser sintering process considering the benefits of time and cost savings. Myriad behemoths in metal manufacturing industry have also added DMLS technology to their production process portfolio, aiming to expand their reach in additive manufacturing with metal powders industry. For instance, recently, an Italian hydraulic systems manufacturer, Aidro Hydraulics incorporated the DMLS technology in its metal 3D printed hydraulic systems which now weigh 75% lesser than traditional hydraulics. In addition, the incorporation of the technology has led to improvement in mechanical properties such as elongation, tensile strength, hardness, and toughness of the newly manufactured hydraulic systems, which would prove beneficial for the DMLS-based additive manufacturing with metal powders market. On the other hand, the emergence of additive manufacturing has solved many critical challenges in healthcare sector. Dental technology has been moving at tremendously fast pace in recent times with the help of direct metal laser sintering, thus impelling additive manufacturing with metal powders market share. The increasing prevalence of a sedentary lifestyle along with rapid growth in geriatric population has been primarily fueling the need for numerous medical devices. The escalating growth of the healthcare sector and the increasing adoption of
In order to reduce manufacturing defects such as porosity and minimize the vaporization of alloying elements, most biggies in additive manufacturing with metal powders industry are investing in research and development activities to further enhance EBM technology
digitalization across the medical devices manufacturing space will indeed fuel additive manufacturing with metal powders market size from medical applications, slated to generate USD 200 million by 2024.
Electron beam melting (EBM) | Extensive research to innovate advanced EBM techniques to fuel additive manufacturing with metal powders market trends Electronic beam melting is one of the most unique additive manufacturing techniques, which can be used to reduce weight, cycle time, and production cost. At present, this technology is being heavily implemented in order to manufacture complex aerospace and automotive components such as turbine blades, pump impellers, and turbocharger wheels. In addition, it has been forecast that the EBM technology will gain massive traction across the healthcare and aerospace industries, pertaining to which renowned behemoths in additive manufacturing with metal powders market are further expanding their production capabilities by acquiring specialized EBM technology companies. For instance, a year before, GE acquired Arcam, a leading manufacturer of EBM incorporated medical implants like hip cups and aerospace products like turbine blades, to expand its reach in additive manufacturing with metal powders industry. As of now, the growing deployment of energy efficient norms mainly across European countries has led to an ongoing requirement for low weight materials for aerospace and automotive applications. In consequence, aiming for weight reduction, many automakers and aircraft manufacturers are giving preference for aluminum alloys over titanium. Indeed, aluminum is often used to manufacture EBM-based aircraft components, expanding the scope of additive manufacturing with metal powders market. However, titanium is also prominently used in the development of customized medical implants with the help of EBM technology, driving EBM-based additive manufacturing with metal powders market size from medical applications. The massive upsurge in orthopedic implants surgeries across the
2 Please cite this article in press as: S. Hebbalkar, Met Powder Rep. (2018), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mprp.2018.03.002
d
Volume xx, Number xx
d
SPECIAL FEATURE
xxxx 2018
globe will also have a commendable impact on additive manufacturing with metal powders industry trends over the years ahead.
Unveiling a gist of the competitive spectrum of additive manufacturing with metal powders market | How have companies been adopting myriad growth tactics to sustain in this sphere? Currently, numerous metal manufacturers are adopting advanced technologies on a large scale to transform industrial production. The 3D printing sector also deploys low-cost metal powders to a considerable extent to upscale production. Given the extensive benefits of using metal powders in manufacturing, myriad companies have penetrated the metal powders manufacturing business. The quality of the final product is decided based on the properties of the powder, as irregular shapes may reduce packing density with a rise in flow time. In this respect, many firms have developed various types of metal powders suitable for all kinds of manufacturing technologies, thus contributing toward expanding additive manufacturing with metal powders industry. Many companies have also been working toward expanding their reach with major investments in capacity expansion. Sandvik Osprey for instance, recently unveiled its plan of expanding its fine metal powder manufacturing plant across Sweden with an investment of 200 million Swedish Krona. The company plans to mainly produce nickel and titanium via this plant, thereby strengthening its position across additive manufacturing with metal powders industry. Additionally, Sandvik also seems to be wanting to strengthen its business portfolio and expand its reach across Europe and MEA additive manufacturing with metal powders market. Indeed, the increasing application of metal powders for 3D printing is slated to generate lucrative opportunities for additive manufacturing with metal powders market players in the years ahead. Another leading tech giant in powder metallurgy, GKN Hoeganaes is also focusing on strengthening its market position with new material development initiatives. In this regard, it has collaborated with a well-known player in additive manufacturing EOS. With the digitalization of its manufacturing plant in collaboration with EOS, GKN is looking forward to bringing next level and advanced material for manufacturing 3D printed objects, mainly for automotive applications. Last year in fact, the firm even signed an agreement to manufacture titanium powders across North America with the Germany-based titanium powder manufacturer, TLS Technik. With this newly developed powder atomizing plant, both the companies are looking forward to strengthening their portfolio in additive manufacturing with metal powders market by producing high-quality powders for medical and aerospace applications. GKN additionally, has also been focusing on the development of a new titanium powder alloy for specific applications where high-oxidation resistance is required and the production of nickel-titanium powders for advanced medical applications. Undeniably, the rapid escalation in material research and development activities to come up with advanced, multifunctional metal powders will have a massive impact on additive manufacturing with metal powders industry outlook.
The upsurge in the demand for titanium in additive manufacturing with metal powders industry Since the last few years, additive manufacturing with metal powders market has been observing a robust increase in the popularity of titanium owing to its highly superior properties such as corrosion resistance, superior strength, and weatherability. Titanium alloy based additive manufacturing with metal powders market size in fact, has been forecast to grow at a CAGR of 29% over 2017–2024, pertaining to the material’s increasing demand for aerospace and medical implant applications. Validating the popularity of this alloy is the fact that recently, GKN Aerospace invested GBP 3.1 million in a three-year collaborative research program to manufacture specifically formulated and blended titanium powder. The extensive use of this metal powder in developing aerospace parts is certain to augment the revenue graph of additive manufacturing with metal powders market. Through this program, GKN Aerospace ideally plans to produce low cost and high-quality titanium powder in a large quantity that is certain to augment its stance in additive manufacturing with metal powders industry. By deploying low-cost, high-performance titanium powder in manufacturing process of aerospace components, aircraft developers have indeed revolutionized airframe performance. This has in consequence, minimized noise and noxious emissions, thus providing a favorable growth ground for additive manufacturing with metal powders industry. The aforementioned incidence provides further validation to the fact that such lucrative investments in research programs will indeed stimulate additive manufacturing with metal powders market share. Although the corrosion resistance capability of titanium alloys is higher than aluminum and steel alloys, it is hardly used for industrial applications except for the military, aerospace, and biomedical sectors. Another principal restraining factor for the titanium-based additive manufacturing with metal powders industry is the higher cost of the final product. It is likely that the automotive sector may take some time to adopt titanium, as even today, the domain is widely insistent to use components manufactured from aluminum and stainless-steel metal powders. Nonetheless, the enforcement of regulatory norms to encourage people to adopt EVs for energy efficiency and the increasing automobile demand is expected to prompt the automotive giants to adopt high performance metal powders. The deployment of additive manufacturing in the automotive sector indeed, has also helped automakers to launch numerous cost-effective, high quality products, thus impelling the commercialization potential of additive manufacturing with metal powders market.
Elaborating on the contribution of the automotive sector in additive manufacturing with metal powders industry The concept of 3D printing has rapidly penetrated major realworld application arenas, one of the principal ones being, the automotive domain. Many leading automakers are preeminently giving preference for 3D printing technology instead of conventional manufacturing processes. The successful development of a 3D printed aluminum powder based automotive part by the world’s leading automaker, Mercedes-Benz is one of the latest 3
Please cite this article in press as: S. Hebbalkar, Met Powder Rep. (2018), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mprp.2018.03.002
SPECIAL FEATURE
Metal Powder Report
SPECIAL FEATURE
Metal Powder Report
d
Volume xx, Number xx
d
xxx 2018
TABLE 2
Types of metal powders and contributing manufacturers.
SPECIAL FEATURE
Sr. No
Metal powder
Applications landscape
Properties and benefits
Contributing manufacturers
1
Stainless steel
Automotive, Medical, Construction and mining
Sandvik Osprey, GKN Hoeganaes, ATI Powder Metals, Erasteel
2
Copper alloy
Food equipment and appliances, agricultural, aerospace
3
Commercial pure titanium and titanium alloy
Aerospace, medical, defense
Better corrosion resistance, excellent strength to weight ratio, low magnetic susceptibility, fatigue resistance, and biocompatibility Excellent thermal conductivity, good strength, color, glossy texture, remarkable wear resistance Corrosion resistance, excellent shear strength, light weight, formability
4
Aluminum alloy
5
CobaltChromium and Nickel-based super alloys Tool steels
Automotive, Food equipment and appliances, construction and mining, chemical industry, solar energy electronic plates Oil and Gas, molds, aerospace, medical instruments
6
Construction and mining, transportation, tool manufacturing
Corrosion resistance, light weight, high strength
Good sphericity, high purity
Excellent grinding ability, consistent tool performance, improved machinability, high wear resistance
examples depicting the growing adoption of additive manufacturing. As per estimates, additive manufacturing with metal powders industry size from the automotive sector will register a CAGR of 25% over 2017–2024. Germany is likely to emerge as a major growth ground in this regard, as the region is a pivotal automotive hub. Germany additive manufacturing with metal powders market size in fact, is slated to be valued at USD 70 million by 2024, pertaining to escalating deployment of 3D printing technology by top shots such as Volkswagen, Airbus, Mercedes, and Boing. Additionally, automakers have also been deploying metal additive manufacturing technologies in the automotive aftermarket industry, as they enable easy refurbishment and replacement of defective parts very quickly and efficiently.
A succinct gist of metal powder manufacturers doing their bit for impelling additive manufacturing with metal powders market share The table below entails a collection of some of the most prominent manufacturers of metal powders and the application spectrum of these powders: (see Table 2) Over the coming years, the massive progress in nanotechnology research is likely to have a notable impact on additive manufacturing with metal powders industry outlook.
Kamman Group, JSC Polema, Kymera International Sandvik Osprey, GKN Hoeganaes, ATI Powder Metals, TLS Technik GmbH & Co., Baoji Orchid Titanium Industry Co. Ltd., Tekna Plasma Systems Inc., Carpenter Khosla Metal Powder Company, Arasan Aluminium Industries, Glacier Aluminium, U.S. Metal Powders, Inc., Toyal America, Inc. Sandvik Osprey, GKN Hoeganaes, ATI Powder Metals, Sandvik
ATI Powder Metals, Carpenter, Erasteel, Sandvik
Nanotechnology has been revolutionizing numerous end-use domains with the help of 3D printing technology. Merely a few years earlier, American researchers had developed 3D printed batteries with lithium-ion nanoparticles to be used in nanoelectronics. The development of such nanobatteries will thus transform the future of the automotive sector, with the popularity of electric vehicles increasing primarily across China, Japan, and the European countries. For instance, in 2013, through a collaborative research project funded by the European Union (EU), the Sweden based automaker, Volvo developed innovative lightweight nanobatteries, which is likely to emerge as one of the most innovative replacement solutions for expensive, heavy, and large batteries used in the presentday electric vehicles. In the future, the rising adoption rate of EVs will enable extensive deployment of 3D printing nanotechnology, which will significantly stimulate additive manufacturing industry share. Considering the huge demand for 3D printed parts, wellknown contributors of additive manufacturing with metal powders market are expanding their production capabilities by developing new facility centers. Indeed, the emergence of softwarebased machine facilities and the increasing popularity of 3D printing among the masses will transform additive manufacturing with metal powders industry trends in future.
4 Please cite this article in press as: S. Hebbalkar, Met Powder Rep. (2018), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mprp.2018.03.002
Volume xxx, Number xx
d
xxxx 2018
metal-powder.net
Unveiling additive manufacturing with metal powders industry trends with technology interventions and competitive landscape as frame of reference Sunil Hebbalkar In the past few years, additive manufacturing with metal powders industry has gained rapid traction in the metal manufacturing sector, prominently in those regions where conventional manufacturing encounters limitations related to manufacturing capability and design methodology. Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, has been gaining significant popularity across the globe on account of its excellent design flexibility and improved production capability. Considering the fact that the additive manufacturing process can be used to develop critically complex parts, it has been implemented in the medical sector to manufacture implants. For instance, recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved spinal implants made of titanium alloys with 3D printing technology. The approval for 3D printed medical implants from regulatory bodies is thus likely to have a considerable impact on additive manufacturing with metal powders industry outlook. In addition, several giants in additive manufacturing with metal powders market are investing heavily in new product development and strategic collaborations to enhance the methodology portfolio in 3D printing processes. In this current era driven by automation and digitalization, the development of advanced manufacturing processes has left a profound imprint on additive manufacturing with metal powders industry trends. In fact, many metal manufacturing and automation companies are constantly focusing on the enhancement of metal additive manufacturing technologies with regard to mass customization, on-demand production, and digitalization – right from idea generation to prototype manufacturing. The increasing adoption of innovative technologies across the metal manufacturing sector is also slated to have a profound influence on additive manufacturing with metal powders market share. In this regard, a detailed insight into the prominent additive manufacturing processes, their productive benefits, process advancements, and the role of industry contributors in impelling additive manufacturing with metal powders market size has been explained in the sections underneath (see Table 1).
E-mail address: [email protected]
Direct metal deposition (DED)|The robust implementation of high-profile projects |Unveiling the influence of DED technology on additive manufacturing with metal powders market share It is prudent to mention that DED is essentially a layer-based additive manufacturing process, in which high power laser is used to melt metal powder for making three-dimensional objects. This technology enables metal manufacturers to develop realistic objects with a higher level of accuracy and excellent quality, speed, and economy. In consequence, the process is being used in myriad industrial applications including direct metal prototypes, die repair and renovation, surface modification and coatings, and parts repairing in aerospace industry, thus impelling the application landscape of the overall additive manufacturing with metal powders market. In addition, lately, laser technology is being widely deployed in direct metal deposition, further extending the growth prospects of additive manufacturing with metal powders industry. In order to achieve higher cost-effectiveness and develop high-performance metal objects for the automotive and aerospace domains, many companies are looking forward to developing robot-assisted laser metal deposition process. One of the renowned manufacturers of industrial robots, KUKA Industries, in June 2017, collaborated with the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) to work on an automation project called ProLMD to develop larger metallic components with laser metal deposition process. Additionally, the additive manufacturing with metal powders industry giant has also been providing innovative manufacturing process solutions for several other tech giants including Daimler, Airbus, Laserline, MTU, BCT, and MBraun. Considering the shifting trends toward the surging adoption of the DED process for several industrial applications, additive manufacturing with metal powders market size from direct metal deposition
1369-7021/Ó 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mprp.2018.03.002
Please cite this article in press as: S. Hebbalkar, Met Powder Rep. (2018), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mprp.2018.03.002
1
SPECIAL FEATURE
Metal Powder Report
SPECIAL FEATURE
Metal Powder Report
d
Volume xx, Number xx
d
xxx 2018
TABLE 1
Additive manufacturing process benefits and advancements.
SPECIAL FEATURE
Sr. No
Additive manufacturing process
Process benefits
Process advancement
1
Direct metal deposition (DED)
2
Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS)
Implementation of sensor technology in closed loop control DED has been observed to improve process capability, stimulating DED-based additive manufacturing with metal powders industry trends. Companies in additive manufacturing with metal powders market have been continuously conducting R&D activities to overcome the limitation of surface smoothness
3
Electron beam melting (EBM)
Speed: production time reduced by 40% Quality: objects can be manufactured with 0.001 accuracy Economy: result into low tooling cost Time: reduces overall production cycle time Improvement in mechanical properties of product as compared to casting process Effective weight reduction Minimal additional finishing required Useful in processing of highly reactive materials Offers high degree of product customization Lower power consumption Required lower installation and maintenance costs
technology is likely to register a stupendous CAGR of 26% over 2017–2024.
Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) |Healthcare & aerospace sectors to fuel DMLS-based additive manufacturing with metal powders industry Laser sintering is one of the latest technologies used in metal manufacturing for producing low cost, high quality, and multifunctional objects in order to fulfill the ever-changing consumer demands. Most of the companies partaking in additive manufacturing with metal powders market share are now primarily focusing on the minimization of product cycle times to enhance the development process. As of now, it has been observed that most of the aerospace companies have adopted the direct metal laser sintering process considering the benefits of time and cost savings. Myriad behemoths in metal manufacturing industry have also added DMLS technology to their production process portfolio, aiming to expand their reach in additive manufacturing with metal powders industry. For instance, recently, an Italian hydraulic systems manufacturer, Aidro Hydraulics incorporated the DMLS technology in its metal 3D printed hydraulic systems which now weigh 75% lesser than traditional hydraulics. In addition, the incorporation of the technology has led to improvement in mechanical properties such as elongation, tensile strength, hardness, and toughness of the newly manufactured hydraulic systems, which would prove beneficial for the DMLS-based additive manufacturing with metal powders market. On the other hand, the emergence of additive manufacturing has solved many critical challenges in healthcare sector. Dental technology has been moving at tremendously fast pace in recent times with the help of direct metal laser sintering, thus impelling additive manufacturing with metal powders market share. The increasing prevalence of a sedentary lifestyle along with rapid growth in geriatric population has been primarily fueling the need for numerous medical devices. The escalating growth of the healthcare sector and the increasing adoption of
In order to reduce manufacturing defects such as porosity and minimize the vaporization of alloying elements, most biggies in additive manufacturing with metal powders industry are investing in research and development activities to further enhance EBM technology
digitalization across the medical devices manufacturing space will indeed fuel additive manufacturing with metal powders market size from medical applications, slated to generate USD 200 million by 2024.
Electron beam melting (EBM) | Extensive research to innovate advanced EBM techniques to fuel additive manufacturing with metal powders market trends Electronic beam melting is one of the most unique additive manufacturing techniques, which can be used to reduce weight, cycle time, and production cost. At present, this technology is being heavily implemented in order to manufacture complex aerospace and automotive components such as turbine blades, pump impellers, and turbocharger wheels. In addition, it has been forecast that the EBM technology will gain massive traction across the healthcare and aerospace industries, pertaining to which renowned behemoths in additive manufacturing with metal powders market are further expanding their production capabilities by acquiring specialized EBM technology companies. For instance, a year before, GE acquired Arcam, a leading manufacturer of EBM incorporated medical implants like hip cups and aerospace products like turbine blades, to expand its reach in additive manufacturing with metal powders industry. As of now, the growing deployment of energy efficient norms mainly across European countries has led to an ongoing requirement for low weight materials for aerospace and automotive applications. In consequence, aiming for weight reduction, many automakers and aircraft manufacturers are giving preference for aluminum alloys over titanium. Indeed, aluminum is often used to manufacture EBM-based aircraft components, expanding the scope of additive manufacturing with metal powders market. However, titanium is also prominently used in the development of customized medical implants with the help of EBM technology, driving EBM-based additive manufacturing with metal powders market size from medical applications. The massive upsurge in orthopedic implants surgeries across the
2 Please cite this article in press as: S. Hebbalkar, Met Powder Rep. (2018), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mprp.2018.03.002
d
Volume xx, Number xx
d
SPECIAL FEATURE
xxxx 2018
globe will also have a commendable impact on additive manufacturing with metal powders industry trends over the years ahead.
Unveiling a gist of the competitive spectrum of additive manufacturing with metal powders market | How have companies been adopting myriad growth tactics to sustain in this sphere? Currently, numerous metal manufacturers are adopting advanced technologies on a large scale to transform industrial production. The 3D printing sector also deploys low-cost metal powders to a considerable extent to upscale production. Given the extensive benefits of using metal powders in manufacturing, myriad companies have penetrated the metal powders manufacturing business. The quality of the final product is decided based on the properties of the powder, as irregular shapes may reduce packing density with a rise in flow time. In this respect, many firms have developed various types of metal powders suitable for all kinds of manufacturing technologies, thus contributing toward expanding additive manufacturing with metal powders industry. Many companies have also been working toward expanding their reach with major investments in capacity expansion. Sandvik Osprey for instance, recently unveiled its plan of expanding its fine metal powder manufacturing plant across Sweden with an investment of 200 million Swedish Krona. The company plans to mainly produce nickel and titanium via this plant, thereby strengthening its position across additive manufacturing with metal powders industry. Additionally, Sandvik also seems to be wanting to strengthen its business portfolio and expand its reach across Europe and MEA additive manufacturing with metal powders market. Indeed, the increasing application of metal powders for 3D printing is slated to generate lucrative opportunities for additive manufacturing with metal powders market players in the years ahead. Another leading tech giant in powder metallurgy, GKN Hoeganaes is also focusing on strengthening its market position with new material development initiatives. In this regard, it has collaborated with a well-known player in additive manufacturing EOS. With the digitalization of its manufacturing plant in collaboration with EOS, GKN is looking forward to bringing next level and advanced material for manufacturing 3D printed objects, mainly for automotive applications. Last year in fact, the firm even signed an agreement to manufacture titanium powders across North America with the Germany-based titanium powder manufacturer, TLS Technik. With this newly developed powder atomizing plant, both the companies are looking forward to strengthening their portfolio in additive manufacturing with metal powders market by producing high-quality powders for medical and aerospace applications. GKN additionally, has also been focusing on the development of a new titanium powder alloy for specific applications where high-oxidation resistance is required and the production of nickel-titanium powders for advanced medical applications. Undeniably, the rapid escalation in material research and development activities to come up with advanced, multifunctional metal powders will have a massive impact on additive manufacturing with metal powders industry outlook.
The upsurge in the demand for titanium in additive manufacturing with metal powders industry Since the last few years, additive manufacturing with metal powders market has been observing a robust increase in the popularity of titanium owing to its highly superior properties such as corrosion resistance, superior strength, and weatherability. Titanium alloy based additive manufacturing with metal powders market size in fact, has been forecast to grow at a CAGR of 29% over 2017–2024, pertaining to the material’s increasing demand for aerospace and medical implant applications. Validating the popularity of this alloy is the fact that recently, GKN Aerospace invested GBP 3.1 million in a three-year collaborative research program to manufacture specifically formulated and blended titanium powder. The extensive use of this metal powder in developing aerospace parts is certain to augment the revenue graph of additive manufacturing with metal powders market. Through this program, GKN Aerospace ideally plans to produce low cost and high-quality titanium powder in a large quantity that is certain to augment its stance in additive manufacturing with metal powders industry. By deploying low-cost, high-performance titanium powder in manufacturing process of aerospace components, aircraft developers have indeed revolutionized airframe performance. This has in consequence, minimized noise and noxious emissions, thus providing a favorable growth ground for additive manufacturing with metal powders industry. The aforementioned incidence provides further validation to the fact that such lucrative investments in research programs will indeed stimulate additive manufacturing with metal powders market share. Although the corrosion resistance capability of titanium alloys is higher than aluminum and steel alloys, it is hardly used for industrial applications except for the military, aerospace, and biomedical sectors. Another principal restraining factor for the titanium-based additive manufacturing with metal powders industry is the higher cost of the final product. It is likely that the automotive sector may take some time to adopt titanium, as even today, the domain is widely insistent to use components manufactured from aluminum and stainless-steel metal powders. Nonetheless, the enforcement of regulatory norms to encourage people to adopt EVs for energy efficiency and the increasing automobile demand is expected to prompt the automotive giants to adopt high performance metal powders. The deployment of additive manufacturing in the automotive sector indeed, has also helped automakers to launch numerous cost-effective, high quality products, thus impelling the commercialization potential of additive manufacturing with metal powders market.
Elaborating on the contribution of the automotive sector in additive manufacturing with metal powders industry The concept of 3D printing has rapidly penetrated major realworld application arenas, one of the principal ones being, the automotive domain. Many leading automakers are preeminently giving preference for 3D printing technology instead of conventional manufacturing processes. The successful development of a 3D printed aluminum powder based automotive part by the world’s leading automaker, Mercedes-Benz is one of the latest 3
Please cite this article in press as: S. Hebbalkar, Met Powder Rep. (2018), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mprp.2018.03.002
SPECIAL FEATURE
Metal Powder Report
SPECIAL FEATURE
Metal Powder Report
d
Volume xx, Number xx
d
xxx 2018
TABLE 2
Types of metal powders and contributing manufacturers.
SPECIAL FEATURE
Sr. No
Metal powder
Applications landscape
Properties and benefits
Contributing manufacturers
1
Stainless steel
Automotive, Medical, Construction and mining
Sandvik Osprey, GKN Hoeganaes, ATI Powder Metals, Erasteel
2
Copper alloy
Food equipment and appliances, agricultural, aerospace
3
Commercial pure titanium and titanium alloy
Aerospace, medical, defense
Better corrosion resistance, excellent strength to weight ratio, low magnetic susceptibility, fatigue resistance, and biocompatibility Excellent thermal conductivity, good strength, color, glossy texture, remarkable wear resistance Corrosion resistance, excellent shear strength, light weight, formability
4
Aluminum alloy
5
CobaltChromium and Nickel-based super alloys Tool steels
Automotive, Food equipment and appliances, construction and mining, chemical industry, solar energy electronic plates Oil and Gas, molds, aerospace, medical instruments
6
Construction and mining, transportation, tool manufacturing
Corrosion resistance, light weight, high strength
Good sphericity, high purity
Excellent grinding ability, consistent tool performance, improved machinability, high wear resistance
examples depicting the growing adoption of additive manufacturing. As per estimates, additive manufacturing with metal powders industry size from the automotive sector will register a CAGR of 25% over 2017–2024. Germany is likely to emerge as a major growth ground in this regard, as the region is a pivotal automotive hub. Germany additive manufacturing with metal powders market size in fact, is slated to be valued at USD 70 million by 2024, pertaining to escalating deployment of 3D printing technology by top shots such as Volkswagen, Airbus, Mercedes, and Boing. Additionally, automakers have also been deploying metal additive manufacturing technologies in the automotive aftermarket industry, as they enable easy refurbishment and replacement of defective parts very quickly and efficiently.
A succinct gist of metal powder manufacturers doing their bit for impelling additive manufacturing with metal powders market share The table below entails a collection of some of the most prominent manufacturers of metal powders and the application spectrum of these powders: (see Table 2) Over the coming years, the massive progress in nanotechnology research is likely to have a notable impact on additive manufacturing with metal powders industry outlook.
Kamman Group, JSC Polema, Kymera International Sandvik Osprey, GKN Hoeganaes, ATI Powder Metals, TLS Technik GmbH & Co., Baoji Orchid Titanium Industry Co. Ltd., Tekna Plasma Systems Inc., Carpenter Khosla Metal Powder Company, Arasan Aluminium Industries, Glacier Aluminium, U.S. Metal Powders, Inc., Toyal America, Inc. Sandvik Osprey, GKN Hoeganaes, ATI Powder Metals, Sandvik
ATI Powder Metals, Carpenter, Erasteel, Sandvik
Nanotechnology has been revolutionizing numerous end-use domains with the help of 3D printing technology. Merely a few years earlier, American researchers had developed 3D printed batteries with lithium-ion nanoparticles to be used in nanoelectronics. The development of such nanobatteries will thus transform the future of the automotive sector, with the popularity of electric vehicles increasing primarily across China, Japan, and the European countries. For instance, in 2013, through a collaborative research project funded by the European Union (EU), the Sweden based automaker, Volvo developed innovative lightweight nanobatteries, which is likely to emerge as one of the most innovative replacement solutions for expensive, heavy, and large batteries used in the presentday electric vehicles. In the future, the rising adoption rate of EVs will enable extensive deployment of 3D printing nanotechnology, which will significantly stimulate additive manufacturing industry share. Considering the huge demand for 3D printed parts, wellknown contributors of additive manufacturing with metal powders market are expanding their production capabilities by developing new facility centers. Indeed, the emergence of softwarebased machine facilities and the increasing popularity of 3D printing among the masses will transform additive manufacturing with metal powders industry trends in future.
4 Please cite this article in press as: S. Hebbalkar, Met Powder Rep. (2018), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mprp.2018.03.002