6K Debuts Its Onyx In718 Additive Manufacturing Metal Powder at Formnext
World’s First Premium Nickel Alloy Metal Powder For Additive Manufacturing Derived From Sustainable Sources
Company to show Onyx In718 at Formnext, Frankfurt, November 19-22, 2019,Hall 12, Stand E22
North Andover, MA., November 19, 2019 – 6K, the world’s leading developer of microwave plasma technology for the production of advanced materials used in additive manufacturing (AM), lithium ion batteries and other industrial markets, today announced it will debut its new Onyx In718 premium powder for additive manufacturing. The company will exhibit Onyx In718 and over fifteen other metal alloys, ceramic powders and parts at FormNext in Frankfurt November 19 – 22, 2019 , Stand E22 in Hall 12.
“Our mission is to provide a better business case for designers and users of AM parts, and higher performance powders are a critical piece of that mission, “commented Dr. Aaron Bent, 6K’s CEO. “Nickel alloy 718, which is critical for aerospace and industrial markets, is the perfect alloy to showcase the capability and powerfulness of the 6K process. We will demonstrate powders and parts derived from both subtractive manufacturing certified turnings and powders rejuvenated after Laser-Powder Bed processing.”
These powders are not only higher performing, but created from a vastly more sustainable process (less energy/waste) than traditional powder processes, as well as enable a new “point of origin” for used powders and parts, necessary for a cost-efffective and highly efficient closed loop supply chain.
Enabled by feedstock sources from reclaimed alloys, combined with the UniMelt microwave plasma system, 6K has the ability to produce powders that exceed competitive technologies, providing higher sphericity, zero porosity, elimination of satellites, and high flowability and tap density. It is the first in the Onyx series of premium powders that have higher performance and can be made from certified chemistry sustainable sources.
“6K powders offers a unique and powerful value proposition for the AM customer and printing companies”, said Dr. Youping Gao, CEO of Castheon. “Using 6K’s Onyx powders, I am achieving higher strengths and elongation than I have seen before. It is also possible to achieve isotropic grain structure after heat treatment, resulting in near isotropic properties (XY and Z directions), which is very exciting.”
The Onyx In718 material display at Formnext highlights the first two proof points of 6K’s strategy to offer AM powders derived from sustainable sources: one derieved from certified chemistry machined turnings, and the second from rejuventated used AM powder. 6K will extend this in the future to use feedstock created from AM support structures, non-conforming AM parts post-print, and other inputs.
Through its metals reclaimation technology, 6K can specifically target the powder size distribution to the AM process of need and others: L-PBF, EBM, DED, Binder-jetting, or MIM thus enabling almost 100% UniMelt process yield, as much as 3-4 times higher than gas atomization. 6K will be commissioning a new state-of-the-art AM powder manufacturing plant in Pittsburgh, USA in 1Q20 and is currently partnering with customers to pre-qualify and sample Onyx In718 in anticipation of commercial availability in 2Q20. 6K Additive will follow by launching Ti-AlV64 in 3Q20.
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About 6K and 6K Additive
6K represents 6000 degrees, setting 6K technology apart from all others. It is the temperature of operation of UniMelt (5778K to be exact), the world’s only microwave production scale plasma, and is also the temperature of the surface of the sun.
6K uses proprietary advanced plasma processing and industrial systems to create materials that are enabling the next-generation of commercial and consumer products. The company’s continuous UniMelt® process allows for complete and unprecedented control of the entire materials engineering process, to produce materials at exact specifications.
The 6K Additive division is a ISO9001 facility, reclaims and processes over 500 tons of Ti-64 per year, and is in the process of building a state-of-the-art 40,000 square foot production facility for AM powders which is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2020
To learn more about 6K and 6K Additive, please visit www.6Kinc.com