How industrial-powder users can benefit their companies—and the environment—by participating in the circular metal economy
By Rob Higby, CEO, Continuum Powders
The famous adage of “waste not, want not” resonates ever-truer these days as we become more aware of the effects of industrial by-products on our shared environments.
While recycling of lightweight consumer-goods containers has achieved measurable success, recycling of metal waste from industrial manufacturing still falls short in many ways. “Going green” is a goal to which industries of many stripes give lip service. Yet, putting up a few solar panels on a domestic factory roof while at the same time buying questionable-quality metal powders, dug out of mountains and shipped from countries halfway across the globe, is not so green after all.
Fortunately, there are now better—and more profitable—ways for metal manufacturers to achieve a clearer sustainability conscience, one that’s based on reality.
Particularly in the case of metal powders—used for industrial additive manufacturing (AM) and for injection molding processes—advanced plasma-atomization technology is proving its worth. No matter whether the used base material is Inconel, a nickel superalloy, stainless steel, titanium, etc.—or, alternatively, just a solid, worn-out steel part—it can now be turned back into ASTM-spec powder for reuse.
All this can be done at a professional facility near you—or even on your own site with a leased or purchased one-step system—creating enticing opportunities to shorten your supply chain, avoid shipping costs and freight duties, increase efficiencies at home, and reduce what you spend on your feedstock.
Of course, results like these lead to even bigger-picture effects such as reduced resource and energy consumption, decreased pollution, and less reliance on mining with its deleterious effects on natural landscapes and water consumption.
The benefits of metal recycling are becoming increasingly evident: According to coverage by Waste Advantage Magazine, in the laser powder bed process up to 80-90% of the powder may not fuse into parts and can be reused. However, with each reuse, the powder itself degrades in quality, leading to mandatory disposal after several cycles, depending on industry standards (aerospace, medical, etc.). One example cited is from the aerospace sector, where a company recycling its used metal-AM powders (cobalt, nickel, aluminum, and molybdenum), instead of just throwing them out, saved around $200,000 by avoiding incineration and reselling their recycled materials.
In an alternate use-case with solid scrap-metal parts, the magazine notes that working with recycled materials can reduce costs by 30-50%; companies may avoid disposal fees of $100-$150 per ton.
What does this all mean in terms of the sustainability of your own business? For a metal product you are already buying, and using tons of on a daily basis, you can now reduce your greenhouse-gas footprint and lower your raw material costs at the same time. What’s more, due to recent improvements in metal-powder processing technology, the powder-recycling route is not only a good economic and green decision, it’s an excellent quality decision as well.
Major manufacturers have become aware of the higher quality of powders produced by the more advanced atomization systems and are putting them to the test. One of the largest aerospace OEMs is currently in the second phase of a two-part project to recycle used or fatigued jet engine blades manufactured in a specialty superalloy. The company is using advanced plasma technology to atomize the scrap back into the highest-quality powder required for flight-certified parts. The project is demonstrating the use of binder-jet 3D printing for additive manufacturing on a production scale.
Particularly in the case of expensive alloys such as the one described above, the supply chain is another area in which metal-powder recycling can be highly beneficial. Maintaining a reliable supply of essential materials can be an ongoing headache for specialty manufacturers who work with expensive alloys like titanium and Inconel. These can be a challenge to obtain in quantity. Turning existing stock into fresh powder, or purchasing it back at a reduced rate from companies that will recycle it for you, can provide valuable assurance of stock continuity to your supply chain teams.
This, then, is the spark of what we call the circular metal economy. And companies that adopt metal-powder recycling won’t only see benefits in their individual facilities’ bottom lines; global sustainability efforts by countries the world over are providing tax incentives and carbon credits, creating even greater financial incentives to participate in tighter, closed-loop manufacturing that supports more regional and domestic resources.
I believe that this is the future of how metal powder is going to be purchased: in recycled form wherever possible, by Fortune 500 companies with serious powder needs, but also AM machine OEMs and service bureaus. This is the way that Industry is going. It’s leaner and cheaper, it’s higher quality, and it’s better for the environment. It’s also the right way to go. We should all be moving in this direction.