SSAB launches Armox 500 AM steel powder for armour applications
Swedish steel company SSAB has launched Armox 500 AM, a high-strength steel powder optimised for Additive Manufacturing. The material is particularly suited to protective armour applications where conventional armour plate solutions may not be suitable.
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Armox protection plate has been used in armour applications for more than four decades, and SSAB states that Armox 500 AM is the first steel powder to match its properties. The company reports that the material has already attracted interest from customers in the defence sector.
“The demand for protection steel is growing globally, and SSAB’s unique offerings give us a leadership position with customers in the defence industry. In addition, demand for high-performance metal powders for Additive Manufacturing is growing,” stated Per Elfgren, Head of SSAB Special Steels. “We have developed our own high-strength steel powders optimised for Additive Manufacturing, based on many decades of experience in high-performance steel products. This enables advanced designs with low weight and high strength.”ew
Design freedom beyond the armour plate
According to SSAB, components produced using Armox 500 AM powder can provide ballistic and blast protection while enabling geometries that are difficult or impossible to manufacture using conventional machining and fabrication methods.
Potential applications include solid components, such as hinges and housings, as well as structures incorporating internal lattice or honeycomb geoqmetries. Such designs can be developed using Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) principles to reduce weight, while maintaining structural performance and protective capability.
SSAB suggests that Additive Manufacturing can be used to create customised protective structures for vulnerable external systems on military vehicles and equipment. These may include cameras, antenna mounts, optical sights, radar systems, hydraulic couplings and cable connections.
The company states that components produced using Armox 500 AM powder can achieve the required mechanical and protective properties without the need for subsequent heat treatment.
Production expansion planned
Armox 500 AM powder is produced at SSAB’s steelworks in Oxelösund, Sweden, where the company also manufactures additional steel powder grades. According to SSAB, Armox 500 has undergone testing for flowability, particle morphology and particle size distribution. The company has also produced and evaluated a range of demonstration components to assess ballistic and blast resistance.
SSAB plans to expand its powder production facility in Oxelösund during 2026 to support commercial-scale manufacturing. Production capacity is expected to increase progressively from the first quarter of 2028, with a planned annual output of approximately 350 tonnes.
