6K Additive introduces ultra-low oxygen titanium powder
November 16, 2022
6K Additive, a division of 6K, North Andover, Massachusetts, USA, has announced the immediate availability of ultra-low oxygen titanium 64 powder with a range of 500-700 ppm. The company states that its ability to deliver titanium at these low oxygen levels, at production scale, surpasses what is currently available for Additive Manufacturing.
6K’s ultra-low oxygen titanium powder is said to provide customers with high-quality material that will enable them to achieve additional Additive Manufacturing jobs through their machines, without sacrificing quality. The low oxygen effectively lowers users’ overall cost for titanium parts, thanks to a powder that stays within buildable specification for longer.
“The global supply chain crisis has caused volatility in the market for metals like titanium which leads to uncertainty in costs and availability. Our ability to provide low-oxygen titanium at production volumes enables our customer to stretch their powder use well beyond what’s available today, essentially increasing value and lowering costs for their Ti64 parts,” stated Frank Roberts, president of 6K Additive.
Mark Barfoot, director of AM programmes at EWI commented, “When we talk to Ti64 users in the market, quality always is top priority with costs following a close second. Increasing the value of their Ti64 purchase by extending the life of the powder with more uses is a definite win.”
6K Additive recently commissioned Foresight Management to conduct a life cycle assessment of both their titanium and nickel powders. This study was conducted to quantify the environmental impacts associated with the production of printable metal powders and specifically compare atomisation technology methods to 6K Additive’s. It was found that for titanium 64, 6K’s UniMelt process at minimum delivered a 74% energy reduction and 78% carbon emission reduction from traditional processes.
In addition to low-oxygen titanium 64, 6K Additive produces a full suite of AM powders including Ni718, Ni625, stainless steel 316/17-4, copper 18150, GRCOP, refractory powders including tungsten, tantalum, and rhenium.
