ArcelorMittal announced its entry into the additive manufacturing (AdM) market as a steel powder supplier. The company is building an industrial-scale inert gas atomiser in Aviles, Spain, to produce steel powders for AdM technologies such as laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), binder jetting (BJ) and direct energy deposition (DED).
The atomiser, which will start production in January 2024, will have a large batch-size production capability, from 200 kg to 3 tonnes, and an initial annual capacity of 1000 tonnes. This will enable ArcelorMittal to supply significant volumes of steel powders with consistent quality, reliability and traceability, meeting the high standards and specifications of the AdM industry.
In line with ArcelorMittal’s commitment to sustainability and decarbonisation, the company is committed to advancing the sustainability of additive manufacturing. The atomiser will therefore produce powders from scrap steel, using renewable electricity, atomising with industrial gases produced by renewable energy, and using recycled and recyclable packaging solutions.
A new business unit, ArcelorMittal Powders, has been established to commercialise the output of the atomiser. The steel powders will be suitable for all existing powder-based metal additive technologies in manufacturing industries such as aerospace, defence, automotive, medical, and energy
