Powder2Powder

Powder2Powder: A Powder-to-Powder Processing System Foreword: Are you still struggling with unusable metal powders? The handling of nonconforming metal powders gives rise to a host of practical challenges: process-generated, non-recyclable powder leads to costly waste and necessitates continuous procurement of fresh powder; idle powder occupies valuable storage space and is subject to stringent safety requirements for storage and handling; in additive manufacturing, the use of mixed powders can compromise the quality of the final parts; moreover, nonconforming powders are subject to regulatory and environmental compliance restrictions, making their disposal neither straightforward nor inexpensive, with complex and costly procedures; in addition, inspecting and managing residual powder consumes significant time, and if inspection results fail to meet specifications, retesting and repurchasing are required, further delaying production. Today, the metal-powder industry faces enormous challenges in recycling and reuse, creating an urgent market need for entirely new solutions. Currently, no commercially available solution on the market is perfectly suited for small- to medium-scale metal-powder recycling; existing technologies all have limitations: plasma spheroidization uses a plasma jet to remelt powder particles into spherical shapes, improving flowability, optimizing particle-size distribution, and eliminating internal defects—but it cannot alter particle size or homogenize mixed powders; sieving and classification can separate usable from nonconforming powder by particle size and optimize the size distribution, but it does not enhance flowability or repair powder defects; reatomization can remelt and atomize degraded powder to produce high-performance, conforming powder, making it an effective method for correcting abnormally shaped powder—but it is expensive, energy-intensive, and requires sophisticated equipment, rendering it uneconomical for small- to medium-scale recycling; repeated remelting can lead to fluctuations in alloy composition and oxidation, degrading powder performance and prolonging processing cycles. A Disruptive New Solution: AMAZEMET AMAZEMET introduces a groundbreaking, patented solution that fundamentally transforms the industry, finally addressing the longstanding pain points of the sector: no single technology currently exists that can efficiently recycle metal powders or convert mixed powders into uniform alloy powders. This innovative technology targets the core bottlenecks in metal-powder atomization, building on AMAZEMET’s pioneering advances in ultrasonic atomization and leveraging its global portfolio of 12 patents to further solidify its technological leadership. This breakthrough delivers a quantum leap in the efficient recovery and regeneration of metal powders, powerfully empowering additive manufacturing, cutting-edge R&D, and various high-precision manufacturing sectors, while reshaping the landscape of powder recycling. How It Works: Powder2Powder (P2P) integrates two core processes—plasma treatment and ultrasonic atomization—to transform irregularly shaped, oversized, or performance-degraded feedstock powders into high-quality, highly spherical powders with no satellite particles and excellent flowability, thereby comprehensively enhancing the forming stability and part quality in additive manufacturing (AM). During operation, the feedstock powder is precisely delivered into the molten pool via a plasma torch, achieving complete remelting and compositional homogenization and fundamentally eliminating pre-existing particle defects and compositional inconsistencies. Subsequently, ultrasonic atomization harnesses stable standing waves within the molten pool to precisely spray and form the molten metal into a new generation of high-performance powder. Compared with conventional plasma spheroidization, P2P technology is not constrained by the initial particle size of the feedstock, making it one of the few proprietary technologies worldwide capable of directly atomizing titanium powder. At the same time, the system can directly process mixtures of multi-element powders, producing pre-alloyed powders with precise composition and uniform microstructure on-site, thus providing an unprecedented material preparation and recycling solution for high-end additive manufacturing. Advantages and Features: With this state-of-the-art integrated solution, end-to-end management of metal powders becomes efficient, convenient, and fully controllable. The equipment enables continuous, closed-loop production unaffected by fluctuations in feedstock powder quality, consistently delivering high-sphericity, high-performance metal powders batch after batch and ensuring stability in both additive manufacturing and materials R&D from the very source. From a cost and operational standpoint, the solution significantly reduces powder procurement costs and simplifies the purchasing process: a single purchase of feedstock powder can be repeatedly recycled until it is completely consumed, substantially cutting down on repeat purchases and capital tied up in inventory and boosting overall production efficiency. In terms of environmental protection and sustainability, the system dramatically reduces powder waste and disposal pressure: by replacing direct disposal with recycling and reuse, it minimizes resource waste and environmental impact, establishing a green, sustainable closed-loop production chain that deeply integrates powder recovery, regeneration, and reuse into every stage of the manufacturing process, achieving a win-win outcome for both economic and environmental benefits. The solution also boasts exceptional flexibility: it can directly utilize a company’s existing scrap and idle powders to customize new materials, blending powders from different batches and compositions to regenerate uniform, precisely composed alloy powders that meet bespoke requirements. As a versatile research platform for metal-materials studies, a single unit can accommodate multiple feedstocks to produce high-quality metal powders while simultaneously delivering highly efficient atomization capabilities, providing robust support for materials development. With this system, research teams can leverage recycled materials to explore entirely new research directions and uncover additional innovative application scenarios, pushing metal-materials R&D and process innovation to unprecedented heights. Key Highlights: Closed-loop, stable production with consistently high powder quality; single procurement followed by cyclical reuse, dramatically reducing costs; minimal powder waste, environmentally friendly and sustainable; regeneration of idle scrap to create custom alloy powders; multi-purpose functionality, adaptable to diverse feedstocks and atomization needs.

repowder

Introduction: Our ultrasonic atomization powder-production equipment can efficiently process raw materials of any alloy and in any form—even small sample quantities—directly yielding metal powders with uniform properties. Whether for new-material R&D or small-batch pilot production, it swiftly meets powder-production needs. The system also supports the use of virgin feedstock or recycled scrap to fabricate prototype castings and powder-based prototypes for novel alloy systems. Leveraging rePOWDER’s patented technology, it enables the resource recovery and regeneration of failed print parts, excess powder, process waste, and discarded powder, reprocessing them into high-quality fine powders. This significantly reduces material costs, boosts material utilization, and provides an efficient, environmentally friendly, integrated powder-production solution for alloy development and additive manufacturing. Ultrasonic Atomization Principle: Ultrasonic atomization is a liquid–solid separation process that uses ultrasonic vibrations to break down material into fine powder. The core principle hinges on vibration amplitude and the wettability of the material surface: when the vibration amplitude of the liquid film wetting the ultrasonic transducer exceeds a critical threshold, standing capillary waves are generated (Lierke et al., 1967); further increasing the amplitude disrupts the internal cohesive forces within the melt, causing it to be ejected as tiny droplets and ultimately forming metal powder. The particle-size distribution (PSD) can be tuned by selecting different ultrasonic frequencies: (the resulting particle size is primarily determined by the ultrasonic frequency, but is also influenced by the physical properties of the liquid material, such as density.) A frequency of 20 kHz is suitable for electron-beam melting (EBM) and direct-energy deposition (DED), producing d50 values between 80 and 100 μm depending on the atomized material. A frequency of 40 kHz is ideal for laser powder-bed fusion (LPBF) and sintering, yielding d50 sizes of 45–60 μm. A frequency of 60 kHz is best for LPBF, binder-jetting (BJ), thermal spraying, and sintering, achieving d50 values of 35–45 μm. The resulting narrow particle-size distribution allows up to 80% of the produced powder to be used in specialized processes. The rePOWDER ultrasonic atomization powder-production system can flexibly handle various forms of raw material—including wire, irregular-shaped feedstock, and long rods—and supports diverse processing routes, from wire-to-powder and powder-to-powder to manual feeding via arc melting and automated rod feeding. Ultimately, it efficiently produces high-quality metal powders with uniform particle size, providing reliable support for advanced manufacturing and material recycling. By employing state-of-the-art ultrasonic atomization technology, we can use a wide range of materials to produce high-performance, custom-made metal powders tailored to your specific requirements, ensuring optimal performance in real-world applications. The figure below shows validated material systems; additional new materials are continuously under development. Two Types of Heat Sources: ① Induction Melting: Induction melting is typically used for alloys with melting points up to 1300°C, such as: · Volatile materials with relatively low melting points that readily evaporate in plasma, including Sn, Zn, Mg, Pb, and Al alloys. · Materials with high heat capacity and high thermal conductivity, such as Cu and other precious metals like Ag and Au alloys. Any shape or form of material can be placed in the crucible, including final alloys, master alloys, or pure elements. Under the influence of magnetic stirring, all materials readily alloy together. ② Arc/Plasma Melting: Heating can be carried out in an inert or reactive atmosphere using an electric arc (TIG generator) or focused plasma. Top feeding and melting of the consumable electrode require the use of suitably designed ultrasonic electrodes to enhance their interaction with the workpiece, thereby minimizing external contamination. This method is well suited for use with all medium- and high-melting-point materials, including: · Iron-based alloys · Ti-, Ni-, Pt-, Ir-based alloys · Refractory materials such as W, Ta, V, Mo, Nb, and Re, as well as high-entropy alloys · Metal composites Core Advantages and Features: Processing of Any Element or Alloy: Ultrasonic atomization can be applied to a wide range of pure elements—from Zn and Mg to Pt, Mo, and Ta—as well as to any alloy composition, such as Mg-Li, CuSn6, TiTaZrRuCu, and others. Handling of All Forms of Raw Material: The system can atomize chips, failed additive-manufacturing prints, damaged samples, rods, wires, powders, and more. Automated Operation: Various automatic feeders—for powders, rods, and wires—and automated plasma cutters make operation as simple as possible. Modularity and Open Architecture: The rePowder platform features a modular design, allowing new modules to be added at any time. All connections within the equipment comply with current standards (e.g., ISO-KF), enabling each customer to design and connect their own modules as needed. One Device, Many Possibilities: The rePowder platform can perform multiple different types of processes using a single unit, including preparing new compositions, homogenizing alloys, ultrasonic atomization, suction casting, and other options currently under development. Multiple Alloys Produced in a Single Day: The equipment is laboratory-scale, easy to clean, and allows rapid material changes. Within a single day, different alloys can be repeatedly atomized on different ultrasonic systems. Wide Range of Applications: The resulting powder can be used in a variety of technologies, including additive manufacturing, sintering, thermal spraying, catalysis, and more. Recycling: The equipment can reprocess printed components or scrap into powder for further use in desired applications. Low Maintenance Costs: The system requires only a very small amount of inert gas—about 10 liters per minute—and the cost of a single atomization run is negligible. Depending on specific needs, multiple capacity options are available, ranging from a few grams per day (for small batches of alloys or rare, expensive elements) to several kilograms per day (when processing wire or using the induction module). Equipment Parameters: Heat Source: Induction Heat Source, Arc/Plasma Heat Source, Dual-Heat-Source System Footprint: Approximately 360 × 220 × 220 cm Power Requirements: 380 VAC, 50 Hz, three-phase, 36 A per phase 340 A at 40% load (250 A at 100% load) 380 VAC, 50 Hz, three-phase, 36 A per phase Sphericity: 0.98, no satellite particles 0.98, no satellite particles 0.98, no satellite particles Minimum Atomization Start-Up Quantity: ≤100 g ≤100 g ≤100 g Supported Materials: Includes, but is not limited to, stainless steel, high-temperature alloys, titanium alloys, platinum–iridium and platinum–rhodium alloys, and high-entropy alloys. Alloy Materials: Includes, but is not limited to, stainless steel, high-temperature alloys, titanium alloys, platinum–iridium and platinum–rhodium alloys, and high-entropy alloys. Induction Atomization Unit: Consists of an electrical cabinet, an induction furnace, an induction atomization chamber, and a collection device—an independent unit. Plasma Atomization Unit: Comprises an atomization chamber, vacuum and gas management systems, feeders, a plasma torch, transducers, vacuum manipulators, and a powder-collection container with an airlock. Induction Heat Source: Melting temperature ≥1300°C / ≥1300°C Plasma Heat Source: Temperature ≥3500°C / ≥3500°C (3) Key Advantages: · Compact footprint and simple operation · Cost savings and low inert-gas consumption · No powder adhesion to the inner walls of the atomization chamber · Rapid cleaning of the atomization chamber