ExOne and GTP to advance Binder Jet Additive Manufacturing of tungsten parts
October 30, 2019
The ExOne Company, North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, USA, has entered into a collaboration with Global Tungsten & Powders Corp. (GTP), headquartered in Towanda, Pennsylvania, USA, a supplier of tungsten and molybdenum powders, semi-finished parts and SOFC components, to advance tungsten-based Binder Jet Additive Manufacturing.
The collaboration will reportedly focus on the development of two metal matrix composites including:
- Cemented carbide (WC-Co), a material with very high hardness and toughness that is widely used for the production of cutting tools and wear-resistant parts
- Copper-tungsten (CuW), which is used in applications where high heat resistance, high electrical and thermal conductivity, and low thermal expansion are required
Under the collaboration, GTP will launch an Additive Manufacturing and sintering service for cemented carbide parts which can be used by customers that wish to explore the feasibility of new designs. GTP currently uses the ExOne® Innovent®, a Binder Jetting system for the AM of metal, ceramic and composite powders in a compact build area.
“Binder Jetting is the 3D printing method of choice for serial production of hard metal parts,” stated Deborah West, Vice-President Business Unit Refractory & Specialty Powders, GTP. “Traditionally, tungsten carbide powder is pressed into the desired shape and then sintered to give it strength and density. Instead of costly and timely mould construction, the parts now can be printed directly in the desired shape, still using sintering technology to achieve the final strength.”
“As a market leader in the development and production of high-quality tungsten powders, GTP always stays on top of the latest technology,” West continued. “We are excited to work with ExOne in the development of cutting-edge technology for the Additive Manufacturing industry.”
Tim Pierce, ExOne’s Vice President of Metal Commercial Products, commented, “Metal 3D printing using our exclusive approach to Binder Jetting has exciting and significant consequences for a variety of manufacturers, including those who make parts with cemented carbide and other tungsten composites. Our latest development collaboration with GTP will help advance the materials necessary to deliver on the vision of producing these parts faster, with less waste and more geometric design freedom.”
