AP&C adds capacity with new powder manufacturing plant

With 3D printing becoming more mainstream and commonplace in the manufacturing environment, the need for powder material is also growing. This is why AP&C is expanding its capacity.

The Montreal-based company is building a new powder manufacturing plant. AP&C’s Plasma technology converts efficiently raw material to powder with excellent key properties such as flowability, density, chemistry and traceability. The company boasts that this new addition will allow it to reach an atomizing capacity of at least 750 tons per year.

“The need for high end titanium powder is driven by the fast growth and adoption of Additive Manufacturing,” explains Magnus René, CEO of Arcam, the parent company of AP&C. Arcam is determined to serve the industry through cost efficient solutions thus converting traditional manufacturing into Additive Manufacturing. A requisite is to offer highest quality powder for production at competitive cost.”

The new capacity increase follows on significant growth in 2015 and 2016 and a surge in demand for AP&C’s titanium powders for additive manufacturing.

“With this investment we are committing to supply our present and future customers with superior quality materials to meet the high manufacturing standards of the biomedical and aerospace industries,” says Alain Dupont, President of AP&C. “With the powder plant and atomising technology advancements, AP&C will add significant capacity in 2017 and onwards.”

Plasma atomisation produces spherical powders of reactive and high melting point materials such as titanium. The process offers purity, producing highly spherical particles and minimal satellite content.

www.advancedpowders.com