Addithive

Tag: Advanced Manufacturing

  • IperionX and the Future of Titanium Production: A New Era in Advanced Manufacturing

    IperionX and the Future of Titanium Production: A New Era in Advanced Manufacturing

    In the realm of advanced manufacturing, titanium stands as a material of choice for its unparalleled strength-to-weight ratio, resistance to high temperatures, and anti-corrosion properties. Historically, the production of titanium has been energy-intensive, costly, and environmentally taxing. However, recent developments by IperionX Limited (NASDAQ: IPX, ASX: IPX) promise to revolutionize the titanium production landscape.

    The Lockheed Martin Collaboration

    IperionX’s recent agreement with global security and aerospace giant, Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), is a testament to the company’s innovative approach to titanium production. This collaboration will see IperionX delivering titanium plate components, manufactured using their U.S. produced titanium, for testing by Lockheed Martin. Brian Rosenberger, Lockheed Martin’s senior fellow for Additive Manufacturing Processes and Materials, emphasized the potential of reduced titanium component costs leading to broader applications and enhanced product performance.

    The IperionX Difference

    What sets IperionX apart is its cutting-edge titanium production technologies. Traditionally, the ‘Kroll Process’, developed in the 1940s, has been the standard for mass-producing titanium. This method is not only energy-intensive but also contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.

    In stark contrast, IperionX’s production methods are environmentally friendly, utilizing less energy and producing zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions. Their patented Hydrogen Sintering and Phase Transformation (HSPT) technologies offer a revolutionary approach to enhancing the microstructure of titanium parts. This ensures that the strength and fatigue properties of the produced titanium are on par with wrought titanium alloys.

    Addressing the Titanium Supply Chain Challenge

    The U.S. defense sector heavily relies on titanium for various applications, from fighter aircraft to naval platforms. However, the U.S. currently imports over 95% of the required titanium sponge, highlighting a significant supply chain vulnerability. IperionX aims to address this challenge by re-shoring titanium metal production to the U.S., thereby strengthening the domestic supply chain for critical defense systems.

    A Sustainable Future with IperionX

    IperionX’s CEO, Anastasios (Taso) Arima, envisions a future where titanium production is not only cost-effective but also environmentally sustainable. Their breakthrough low-carbon titanium technologies can utilize either titanium minerals or titanium scrap metal as feedstock. This approach not only reduces costs but also minimizes the carbon footprint associated with titanium production.

    The Hydrogen Sintering and Phase Transformation (HSPT) process is a cutting-edge technique in powder metallurgy, specifically designed for producing high-quality titanium alloys. Developed as part of IperionX’s titanium technologies, this method promises titanium with characteristics akin to wrought titanium, but with a more efficient production approach.

    At its core, sintering is a method where particles bond by being heated below their melting point. Instead of melting, the particles fuse, forming a solid structure. The HSPT process introduces a unique twist to this traditional method by incorporating hydrogen.

    In the HSPT method, titanium powders undergo a reaction with hydrogen, resulting in titanium hydride. This step is pivotal as the presence of hydrogen facilitates a more effective sintering process, ensuring the end product is both uniform and dense. Following the formation of titanium hydride, it’s subjected to heating, triggering a phase transformation. During this stage, the hydride decomposes, and hydrogen is expelled, leaving behind dense titanium.

    Several advantages set the HSPT process apart from conventional titanium production methods:

    1. Microstructure Refinement: One of the standout features of the HSPT process is its ability to enhance the titanium’s microstructure. In simpler terms, the internal grain structure of the titanium is refined, which translates to superior mechanical properties.
    2. Strength and Durability: Titanium produced via HSPT boasts strength and fatigue properties that rival those of wrought titanium alloys. This is significant, as it means industries can access top-tier titanium without the high costs and complexities of traditional wrought titanium production methods.
    3. Cost and Efficiency: Traditional titanium production, such as the Kroll Process, is notorious for being both energy-intensive and costly. HSPT offers a refreshing alternative, producing premium titanium more cost-effectively.
    4. Sustainability: In today’s environmentally-conscious world, the reduced energy consumption of the HSPT process is a boon. It not only consumes less energy but also results in lower carbon emissions, marking it as a greener choice for titanium production.

    Given its myriad benefits, the HSPT process holds immense potential across various sectors. Industries like aerospace, defense, and medical implants, where titanium’s strength and biocompatibility are crucial, stand to benefit immensely. In essence, the HSPT process, with its innovative use of hydrogen and phase transformation, paves the way for a more sustainable, efficient, and high-quality titanium production method.

    In Conclusion

    The collaboration between IperionX and Lockheed Martin marks a significant milestone in the journey towards sustainable and efficient titanium production. As industries like aerospace, electric vehicles, and 3D printing continue to grow, the demand for high-quality titanium will only increase. Companies like IperionX, with their innovative approaches, are poised to lead the way in meeting this demand while ensuring environmental sustainability.

    For those keen on exploring the intricacies of titanium production and its future prospects, the research by Zhigang Zak Fang et al., titled “Powder metallurgy of titanium – Past, present, and future,” offers a comprehensive overview.

  • Redwire Subsidiary Awarded Contract with European Space Agency to Revolutionize Tissue Manufacturing in Space and on Earth

    Redwire Subsidiary Awarded Contract with European Space Agency to Revolutionize Tissue Manufacturing in Space and on Earth

    In a groundbreaking development for the future of space exploration and biomedical research, Redwire Corporation, a prominent player in the space industry, has announced that its subsidiary, Redwire Space NV, has secured a 14 million euro contract from the European Space Agency (ESA). This exciting partnership aims to develop the 3D-BioSystem Facility, an advanced 3D bioprinting system that will enhance tissue manufacturing capabilities for long-duration space missions and have significant implications for life on Earth.

    A Giant Leap for Bioprinting:

    The 3D-BioSystem Facility, designed and developed by Redwire Space NV, will be a cutting-edge modular system that harnesses the power of 3D bioprinting technology. With its ability to sustain a multitude of experiments, this facility represents a significant leap forward in microgravity bioprinting capabilities. The system will consist of a 3D bioprinter, 3D cell culture units, and an incubator, enabling the production of tissue samples directly in space. These samples can then be further processed onboard or returned to Earth for further analysis and application.

    Paving the Way for Space Exploration:

    One of the primary goals of the 3D-BioSystem Facility is to enable long-duration spaceflight to destinations such as the Moon and Mars. The ability to bioprint cell constructs in microgravity is crucial for sustaining astronauts during these ambitious missions. By leveraging tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, the facility will contribute to the development of vital resources and medical treatments for space travelers. Moreover, the system could potentially revolutionize the way we understand cell-to-cell interactions, advance drug efficacy and toxicity testing through organoid creation, and pave the way for printing vascularized tissue and transplantable organ patches.

    International Space Station

    Advancing Biomedical Research on Earth:

    The impact of the 3D-BioSystem Facility extends far beyond the realm of space exploration. By enhancing our understanding of tissue engineering and bioprinting, the facility holds immense promise for improving healthcare and advancing medical research here on Earth. Through studying cell behavior in three-dimensional environments and investigating the effects of microgravity on tissue growth, scientists can gain crucial insights into complex diseases and develop innovative therapies. The facility’s potential applications range from personalized medicine to drug discovery, creating opportunities to address unmet medical needs and improve patient outcomes.

    Boosting European Technological Independence:

    The partnership between Redwire Space NV and the European Space Agency is also significant in terms of fostering European technological non-dependence and competitiveness. By developing state-of-the-art space infrastructure and leveraging advanced manufacturing techniques, Europe can secure its place as a leader in space innovation. This not only ensures the continent’s access to space benefits but also contributes to the expansion of the global space economy.

    International Space Station

    Redwire’s Track Record and On-Orbit Capabilities:

    Redwire Corporation has established itself as a frontrunner in microgravity bioprinting, exemplified by its BioFabrication Facility (BFF) currently operating on the International Space Station (ISS). The BFF-Meniscus-2 investigation, a collaboration between Redwire and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Center for Biotechnology, showcases the potential of space bioprinting to treat meniscal injuries. With the 3D-BioSystem Facility joining the ranks, Redwire’s on-orbit capabilities continue to advance biomedical research, plant biology, and advanced materials manufacturing, fostering scientific discovery and facilitating the development of beneficial products for Earth.

    The Redwire subsidiary’s contract with the European Space Agency marks a significant milestone in the field of additive manufacturing and space exploration. The 3D-BioSystem Facility’s development represents a

  • Binder Jetting: Process, Materials, Economics and Industry Platforms

    Binder Jetting: Process, Materials, Economics and Industry Platforms

    Binder jetting selectively deposits a liquid binder onto a powder bed to create a “green” part. The printing step is relatively fast and does not use a laser to melt each voxel. But for metal and many ceramic applications, printing is only the beginning: curing, depowdering, debinding and sintering determine the final geometry and properties.

    The central binder-jetting challenge is not print speed. It is controlling the complete print-to-sinter route with acceptable shrinkage, distortion, density and yield.

    How binder jetting works

    1. A recoater spreads a controlled layer of powder.
    2. An inkjet printhead selectively deposits binder according to the sliced geometry.
    3. The build platform moves and the process repeats.
    4. The powder bed is cured or dried to provide handling strength.
    5. Green parts are removed from the surrounding powder and cleaned.
    6. For metal or ceramic routes, the binder is removed and the part is sintered.
    7. Finishing, heat treatment, machining and inspection are applied as required.

    Sand molds and cores follow a different downstream route: the printed sand tool is cleaned and used directly in a casting process rather than sintered into a dense metal component.

    Schematic of the binder jetting process

    Three distinct binder-jetting markets

    ApplicationPrinted materialWhat the printed object becomesMain value driver
    Metal binder jettingMetal powder plus binderA sintered metal componentBatch productivity, geometry, use of powder-metallurgy feedstocks
    Sand binder jettingFoundry sand plus binderA mold or core for castingToolless complex casting geometry and short lead time
    Ceramic binder jettingCeramic powder plus binderA fired or sintered ceramic componentMaterial flexibility and complex refractory or technical-ceramic shapes

    Why metal binder jetting is attractive

    • High packing density: parts can often be nested in three dimensions because attached thermal supports are not required during printing.
    • Area-wide deposition: print time is less sensitive to the number of individual parts than point-scanning laser processes.
    • Powder-metallurgy compatibility: many systems use powders and sintering knowledge related to MIM or conventional powder metallurgy.
    • Lower thermal stress during printing: the green part is not locally melted by a high-energy beam.
    • Potential production economics: the process can be competitive for suitable small-to-medium parts when printing, furnace loading and yield are balanced.

    These advantages are conditional. If depowdering is difficult, green parts break, sintering distorts the geometry or furnace capacity is constrained, the apparent print-speed advantage disappears.

    The manufacturing bottlenecks

    Green-part strength

    Freshly printed parts are fragile. Binder saturation, drying, powder packing and geometry determine whether a component survives excavation, cleaning and transfer. Thin walls, long unsupported features and handling points need special attention.

    Depowdering

    Internal channels and densely nested builds can trap powder. The design must provide access for gravity, air, vibration, vacuum or automated cleaning. Powder removal must not damage green surfaces or contaminate subsequent batches.

    Debinding

    Binder removal must avoid cracking, blistering or carbon contamination. Thick sections and nonuniform geometry can produce internal pressure or differential debinding rates. The binder chemistry, heating cycle and atmosphere form part of the qualified process.

    Sintering shrinkage

    Metal binder-jetted parts shrink substantially as porosity is removed during sintering. The design is scaled before printing, but shrinkage is not always perfectly uniform. Geometry, powder packing, gravity, friction with setters, furnace temperature uniformity and local section thickness all influence final dimensions.

    Distortion and support in the furnace

    A part may print without supports yet still require setters, sintering supports or sacrificial features. At high temperature the component can creep under its own weight. Unsupported spans, asymmetric mass and thin walls are vulnerable.

    Furnace capacity

    The printer can produce green parts faster than downstream furnaces can process them. Furnace cycle time, usable hot-zone volume, atmosphere, loading strategy and material changeover often determine plant throughput.

    Design for metal binder jetting

    • Use wall thicknesses and aspect ratios demonstrated for the specific powder and process.
    • Avoid large abrupt changes in section thickness that debind and sinter at different rates.
    • Provide powder-removal access to internal volumes.
    • Use generous radii and smooth transitions to reduce stress concentration during handling and sintering.
    • Orient broad surfaces and long spans to minimize gravity-driven distortion.
    • Plan setters or sintering supports before freezing the geometry.
    • Add machining stock to precision interfaces.
    • Separate cosmetic, dimensional and structural requirements by surface.
    • Design witness features or coupons when they provide meaningful process evidence.

    Material properties: compare the qualified route

    Density, strength, ductility, fatigue and corrosion performance depend on powder chemistry, particle-size distribution, binder, printing parameters, debinding, sintering atmosphere and thermal cycle. Published “fully dense” claims should be reviewed with the actual density method, test orientation, specimen geometry and material condition.

    Metal binder jetting can produce strong and useful components, but it should not be assumed equivalent to wrought, MIM or LPBF material without application-specific data. Fatigue-sensitive and safety-critical uses require particular attention to residual porosity, inclusions, surface condition and dimensional variation.

    Binder jetting versus LPBF

    FactorMetal binder jettingMetal LPBF
    During printingBinder joins powder; no local meltingLaser creates a local melt pool
    Thermal supportsNot attached during printingOften required for anchoring and heat transfer
    Primary thermal challengeDebinding and sintering shrinkage/distortionResidual stress, distortion and cracking during/after build
    Part nestingThree-dimensional nesting can be possibleUsually arranged from the build plate with support constraints
    Surface/detailProcess and powder dependent; sintering affects final geometryGenerally finer control for qualified compact features, but downskin remains challenging
    Post-processingCure, depowder, debind, sinter; machining/finishing as requiredDepowder, stress relief, cut-off, support removal; machining/finishing as required
    Strongest economic caseBatch production of suitable sinterable geometriesHigh-value complex parts, internal channels and qualified performance

    Current industrial platform landscape

    The supplier landscape has consolidated and evolved since the early binder-jetting boom. Product names and corporate ownership should be checked at the time of procurement. As of 2026, notable active examples include:

    • Desktop Metal: the X-Series family includes InnoventX, X25Pro and X160Pro for metals, ceramics and composites; the Shop System targets batch metal production. ExOne technology and sand systems are presented within the broader Desktop Metal portfolio.
    • HP: the Metal Jet S100 platform is offered in development and production configurations, with expanded materials and powder-management options announced in 2026.
    • voxeljet: continues to offer large-format binder-jet systems for sand molds, cores and other powder materials.
    • Ricoh: continues development of aluminum metal binder jetting, with emphasis on thermal applications and industrialization.

    A machine list is not a technology assessment. Buyers should evaluate local service, installed-base experience, material availability, furnace integration, application references, software, yield and long-term support.

    Questions to ask before selecting a binder-jet route

    1. What is the complete print, cure, depowder, debind and sinter cycle for this material?
    2. What shrinkage and dimensional capability have been demonstrated on comparable geometries?
    3. Which features require setters, sintering supports or machining?
    4. What green-part breakage and sintering scrap rates are typical?
    5. What limits furnace loading density and cycle time?
    6. How are powder batches, binder condition and reused powder controlled?
    7. Which material properties are based on production-representative parts rather than ideal test coupons?
    8. How is residual powder verified in internal channels?
    9. What is the inspection plan for porosity, distortion and critical dimensions?
    10. What is the cost per accepted part at the target annual volume?

    Standards direction

    ISO/ASTM is developing a dedicated binder-jetting design guideline for single-alloy metal parts using multi-step binder jetting. The work reflects the need to standardize design principles around green-part behavior, depowdering, debinding and sintering rather than treating binder jetting as a simple support-free printing process.

    Conclusion

    Binder jetting is a compelling production route when part geometry, batch density and sintering behavior align. Its economics cannot be judged from printer speed alone. The winning production system balances print capacity with depowdering, green-part handling, furnace throughput, dimensional compensation, finishing and quality assurance.

    Related Addithive resources: Binder Jetting Breakthroughs · Metal AM Process Selection

    References and further reading