Globus adds world’s first segmented powder hopper for optimising atomisation
Globus Metal Powders Ltd, based in Middlesbrough, UK, has announced the successful completion of the Royce Industrial Collaboration Round 4 project: Segmented Hopper for Rapid Improvement of advanced Metal Powders (SHRIMP).
“This project introduced the world’s first segmented powder hopper: a breakthrough design that allows multiple adjustments to atomisation parameters during a single melt,” explained Gill Thornton, R&D Manager, Globus.
“It enables faster optimisation of particle size distribution (PSD) and powder properties, accelerating the development of sustainable metal powders.”
According to the company, only around 1% of alloys are available in a powder form that is suitable for net-shape and Additive Manufacturing, thereby limiting the technology’s adoption across industries. SHRIMP aims to remove that barrier by making alloy development faster and more accessible.
For the project, Globus worked alongside the Materials Processing Institute (MPI) on the hopper design, build and operation and Royce at the University of Sheffield for collaboration on Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP), characterisation equipment and expertise.
