GKN Additive to form new Materials and Components divisions
March 28, 2019
GKN Additive has announced that it is forming two new sub-brands within its Additive Manufacturing business. It was stated that GKN Hoeganaes, the company’s metal powder manufacturing division, will offer its specialised knowledge of AM metal powders to form GKN Additive Materials. In addition, GKN Additive Components will comprise the current Additive Manufacturing process and parts business. The move will enable GKN Additive serve customers as a full powder-to-part solution supplier.
Guido Degen, President Additive Manufacturing at GKN Powder Metallurgy, stated, “Our entire business is about transforming powder into parts, powder is our key ingredient and at the centre of everything we do. Our unique advantage – having powder and parts under one roof – allows us to combine internal process and materials knowledge to get a better understanding of the impact of materials in processes.”
“We can now deliver advanced digital powders, specialised for precision and function,” he added. “As the AM manufacturing process becomes more defined, the ability to design and customise digital powders will create new markets, enhance machine performance and reduce costs for our customers.”
GKN Additive reportedly utilises a completely digitised value chain from powder to part, and captures large amounts of internal data and feedback from customers into its cloud. The database is then leveraged across GKN Additive’s whole global print network to explore new ways to predict more robust processes and increase productivity and quality.
GKN Hoeganaes develops cost-effective, high-performance alloy solutions for industrial, automotive, medical and aerospace markets. Chris Schade, Director Additive Materials & Site Director Cinnaminson, explained, “We are working with a wide range of companies to tailor material solutions for their AM needs to advance the AM industry as a whole. Currently, GKN Additive is developing materials for AM machine suppliers, AM parts producers, and directly with the automotive manufacturing companies.”
“This is a similar journey that Hoeganaes has travelled in conventional PM, where we take advantage of our ‘digital powder network’ to develop custom alloy solutions for materials ranging from sheet steels to soft magnetic alloys as well as standard wrought grades used in structural and automotive parts,” he continued. “These materials are all designed and developed to take advantage of the additive process. We welcome the challenge to work with our customers to develop materials solutions specifically for AM.”
“With our fully-controlled value-added finishing process we constantly refine our portfolio of advanced powders for AM from low alloy steels, stainless steels, nickel-, copper-, aluminium-, and titanium-alloy powders to specialised novel powders,” he concluded.
