Scrap to Metal Powder: Circular Metal AM for Increased Resource Efficiency and Resilience

Purpose and goal:

During powder bed additive manufacturing (AM) processing, 60 to 80% of the powder feedstock should be reused after each manufacturing cycle. Due to powder degradation, powder feedstock is not reused more than ten times, often much less, resulting in expensive process waste, especially in the case of highly alloyed materials. SCARLETT is aiming to increase resource efficiency through the optimization of AM waste streams which will lead to a transition from a linear to a circular economy for AM.

Expected results and effects:

SCARLETT will provide the breeding ground allowing to secure resilient national Additive Manufacturing chain, covering material feedstock, AM technology providers, component manufacturers and end-users. SCARLETT is aiming to increase resource efficiency of AM by transforming metal waste into high-value metal powder for AM, hence further increasing sustainability of metal AM, increase resilience and reduce the need for extraction of natural resources.

Approach and implementation:

SCARLETT will exploit potential of reuse of AM and conventional scrap for manufacturing of high-value metal powder for metal additive manufacturing and aims to validate concept in industrial environment. Approach is based on unique cooperation along the AM manufacturing chain, allowing to significantly decrease and in some cases to even fully avoid material losses during AM fabrication, leading to maximized material utilization as well as full powder recycling.