Oerlikon to supply Farsoon Technologies with metal powders for Additive Manufacturing
March 1, 2018
Oerlikon, Pfäffikon Schwyz, Switzerland, has signed a long-term collaboration agreement with Farsoon Technologies, Hunan, China, to supply qualified Oerlikon metal powders for Farsoon’s metal Additive Manufacturing systems. According to the partners, the purpose of the collaboration is to accelerate the adoption of Additive Manufacturing in China by providing customers with a combined solution of printer hardware and fully certified metal powders.
According to a statement by Oerlikon, the agreement with Farsoon could establish a new business model for the Chinese AM market. Oerlikon will serve as the global partner for Farsoon as a preferred and primary metal powder supplier. Farsoon will reportedly be qualifying MetcoAdd powders to Farsoon AM systems, enabling customers purchasing Farsoon AM systems to receive Oerlikon AM powders at the same time. Farsoon stated that is committed to creating an ‘open platform system’ for all metal AM systems, which it says will give end users the freedom to innovate and expand the boundaries of AM technology.
The companies will continue to collaborate on research and development projects to optimise process performance for applications, especially for the Chinese market. Furthermore, Oerlikon will work with Farsoon to develop customised alloys for their AM systems in order to accelerate the adoption of AM in industries such as aerospace, power generation, tooling and automotive.
Florian Mauerer, Head Business Unit AM, Oerlikon, stated, “For new technologies, such as AM, partnerships and the development of new business models are key to unlocking their potential. Working together with Farsoon, a fast-growing AM machine manufacturer with a well-established presence in China, can set a new standard in the AM industry to bring integrated quality products and services to customers.”
“We look forward to working with a company known for its excellence and quality in the metal powder industry,” added Dr Xu Xiaoshu, Farsoon’s Chairman. “Partnering with Oerlikon as one of our preferred material suppliers can guarantee our customers a high level of material quality for their current and future applications.”
From March 1 to 3, 2018, Oerlikon and Farsoon are exhibiting at TCT Asia. Oerlikon will showcase, under its Oerlikon AM brand, a wide range of metal powders and additively manufactured components at its booth N1-J16, while Farsoon will host visitors at booth N1-G16, where its latest AM systems will be on display.
