CNPC nears completion of facility for AM metal powder production
February 5, 2018
A rendering of CNPC Powder’s new facility in Anhui, China (Courtesy CNPC Powder Group)
CNPC Powder Group is nearing completion of a new 30, 000 m2 facility in Anhui, China, that will provide a major increase in capacity for the production of metal powders for Additive Manufacturing. The company is reported to be on schedule to begin manufacturing powders in July 2018, with annual capacity capable of reaching around 3,500 tons in 2019.
The facility is expected to house six metal powder production lines and will provide clients with services across the metal powder process chain, from alloy development to powder production and testing. The expansion will see CNPC strengthen its position as an international producer of AM materials, adding to the company’s extensive range of metal powders for a wide variety of applications.
Also housed on site will be CNPC Powder’s new research and development facility, which it states is set to focus on three critical projects. Firstly, the team will explore new materials, looking at the production of new alloys for AM and Metal Injection Moulding (MIM) applications. Secondly, the team will investigate the optimisation of material production and cost reduction, which it hopes will lead to greater cost savings for clients. Finally, the facility will serve as a research hub for innovation in AM.
CNPC Powder is a family owned and operated business established in 1998, which specialises in the development and commercialisation of powdered metal materials. The company has invested in a number of expansions over the years to increase its capacity and secure its position in the market. From 2003-2005, three factories were established to serve a growing domestic market and in 2009 the Shanghai office was opened to enable exports of powders to international clients. In 2015 a North American subsidiary, CNPC Powder North America, was established to expand services in the Americas.
As a result of its North American expansion, CNPC Powder states that it has been able to establish connections with North and South American powder users as well as a growing presence in Europe. As the company develops new powders for advanced manufacturing processes such as Additive Manufacturing, the new facility and R&D Centre at Anhui will allow for continued support. “This facility is a step in line with our core values of long-term relationship building and developing a high-quality product for our clients,” concluded Abigail Franco, CNPC’s Marketing Director.
