GEMCO, a century-old powder processing firm, has joined NIST’s Metal Additive Manufacturing Powder Consortium. This initiative aims to create standardized protocols for AM powders, enhancing their reliability across various applications and sectors. GEMCO’s affiliation with the consortium is predicated on its expertise in metal powder blending, reclamation, gas purging, and coating—all critical factors in the manufacture of AM powder feedstock.
The entry of GEMCO into this consortium is expected to bring tangible benefits. One of the most pressing issues in the AM industry is the lack of standardized protocols for the quality and consistency of input materials, particularly metal powders. Given GEMCO’s extensive experience in powder processing, their collaboration will be key in addressing these challenges. Their skills in gas purging and coating techniques will help establish guidelines that can mitigate material defects, thus improving the overall efficiency and reliability of metal 3D printing processes.
Not only will GEMCO collaborate with NIST, but they will also share their expertise with other consortium members. This collective endeavor to develop best practices is crucial for ensuring that AM becomes a more reliable and widely-adopted manufacturing methodology. By improving material standards, the consortium aims to facilitate a more seamless transition of AM technologies into mainstream manufacturing.
Overall GEMCO’s partnership with the NIST Consortium is expected to expedite the standardization of metal AM powders, thereby addressing critical bottlenecks in additive manufacturing. As the industry matures, such collaborations could become more prevalent, driving increased interoperability and scalability of AM technologies.
Source: powderbulksolids.com
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