Global Advanced Metals, LPW Technology cooperate on 3-D printing of tantalum

High-flow, high-purity tantalum powder

Global Advanced Metals Pty Ltd. (GAM), a producer of tantalum and niobium products, and LPW Technology, a manufacturer of metal powders for additive manufacturing (AM), have announced a cooperative agreement to demonstrate the suitability of spheroidized tantalum for 3-D metal printing.

Across this emerging industry, there are few examples of AM refractory metals, and a need exists for a more thorough proof of concept and development of print criteria, GAM reports. Successful demonstration of laser 3-D printing of tantalum offers users another powder option with which to serve medical, dental, military, and aerospace. Tantalum offers superior osteointegration, higher biocompatibility, and reduced stress shielding with respect to current metals and alloys used for medical implants, the company states.

“Leveraging LPW’s laser powder bed fusion expertise, developed by viewing AM from the perspective of the powder, represents one step of our strategy to extend our offering in tantalum and other refractory metals to the AM marketplace. We can now measure and share physicochemical data for both our spherical tantalum and the resulting 3-D printed part,” said Andrew O’Donovan, CEO of GAM.