6K Additive, a division of 6K, a leader in the sustainable production of engineered materials for additive manufacturing and lithium-ion batteries based on its UniMelt® plasma technology, announced plans to significantly increase additive manufacturing powder production capacity. The plan includes adding 20,000 square feet of powder production capacity with four new UniMelt microwave plasma systems, as well as a 15,000 square foot material feedstock preparation building.
6K Additive has seen rapid growth in demand for their nickel, titanium, and refractory powders over the last 12 months, and this capacity increase will help the company meet their customers’ needs over the next 12-36 months.
Additive Manufacturing Powder Production
6K Additive also operates two dedicated UniMelt production systems in North Andover, Massachusetts, which produce tungsten, rhenium, and niobium-based alloys for hypersonic, defence, and rocket applications.
The addition of the feedstock preparation facility to the 45-acre campus in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, provides 6K Additive with vertical integration of nickel and titanium feedstock sizing in the same location. This will help to streamline operations, provide faster delivery, and give you complete control over the powder you produce. The Burgettstown plant currently produces a full range of powders, including nickel 718 & 625, titanium-64, stainless steel, and copper, as well as aluminium alloys.
“Global unrest has shed a major spotlight on our nations supply chain vulnerability for critical materials. This, in combination with our consistent product quality, sustainability benefits, and the fact that we are a domestic supplier have contributed to increased commercial activity with key strategic customers. This expansion will help us meet customer demands in the coming years and ensure efficiencies in current and future operations.”
– Frank Roberts, President, 6K Additive
Eric Martin, chief operating officer for 6K Additive commented, “The ability to meet the demands of our customers in both quality and delivery is paramount for our organization. The addition of a feedstock preparation facility and the added UniMelt production capacity will help to create a consistent operational flow to meet this demand. However, I am equally excited to be able to bring on more talent to the organization with as many as 35 additional employees planned. It’s great for our organization as well as the tri-state area.”
The mission of 6K Additive is to provide a global decarbonization solution by producing performance materials that are critical to production in markets such as aerospace, defence, medical, and industrial applications. The results of a life cycle assessment conducted by Foresight Management comparing the environmental impact of 6K’s UniMelt® microwave plasma technology to current atomization technologies in the production of metal powders were recently released by the company. When using the 6K UniMelt process, the results showed up to a 91% reduction in energy use and a 91.5% reduction in carbon emissions. This independent study is available for download here.
