North Andover, MA, August 27, 2024 – Accelerating its market leadership in sustainable production of advanced materials for additive manufacturing (AM), 6K Additive – a division of 6K, announced the company has been selected by America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, for its Powder Alloy Development of Additive Manufacturing (PADAM) project. 6K Additive will work in partnership with project lead, Castheon. The project is part of the $6M PADAM project funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). The PADAM program specifically targets the cost-efficiency and performance enhancement of Nb C-103 powder feedstock by qualifying an extended particle size distribution (PSD) for both laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) and directed energy deposition (DED) methods. 

C-103 is a niobium alloy used in high-temperature applications. While C-103 has historical success in space-flight applications there are significant MRL maturation opportunities identified to improve productivity, affordability, material, and design maturity. This project is expected to improve material availability and decrease the cost for C-103 by expanding the supply base and utilizing a broader range of particle size distribution (PSD). Using PBF-LB in conjunction with DED, a wider range of PSD can be used, thus efficiently utilizing more of the powdered C-103 produced. The selected final materials will undergo rigorous testing led by NASA Glenn Research Center and NSL Analytical. Lockheed Martin and Firefly Aerospace will serve as production transition partners, further maturing refractory AM materials for thermal protection systems and space propulsion applications.

“We are very excited to be working alongside Castheon, leading defense primes, and even other powder manufacturers to advance C-103 use in additive manufacturing for the defense industry,” said Frank Roberts, President of 6K Additive.

AM offers advantages for producing complex parts with improved performance and significant near-net shape capability with significant savings in production time. 6K Additive’s UniMelt® microwave plasma process for producing powders, such as C-103 from revert sources, lowers cost and increases efficiency for high-temperature and space applications.

“We are embarking on an incredibly exciting era across the AM sector. Exploring the possibilities of AM material applications is a step in the right direction with considerable implications for the future of aerospace and defense,” states Brandon Ribic, Technology Director at America Makes. “America Makes is incredibly fortunate to have the support of OSD ManTech and AFRL and the engagement of the brightest minds in the country who will be collaborating to revolutionize this technology.”

Greg Pilon, Chief Revenue Officer, ADDMAN added, “Working alongside 6K Additive and other industry leaders on this project allows us to push the boundaries of what’s possible. Castheon’s focus on advancing niobium alloys through AM not only improves material performance but also plays a critical role in strengthening our nation’s defense capabilities. We’re proud to contribute our expertise to this initiative.”

6K Additive is the world’s first producer of AM powder made from highly sustainable sources – offering a full suite of premium powders including nickel, titanium, copper, stainless steel, aluminum alloys, and refractory metals such as tungsten, niobium, and rhenium. Backed by the award-winning UniMelt® production-scale microwave plasma process, the technology precisely spheroidizes metal powders while controlling the chemistry and porosity of the final product with zero contamination and high-throughput production. This announcement, in combination with the $23M Department of Defense (DoD) award, is a testament to the capabilities that 6K Additive has for upcycling scrap material into premium powder suitable and accepted by the DoD for aerospace and defense applications.  

Companies interested in working with 6K Additive regarding their specific powder requirements are urged to visit 6K Additive’s website at 6KAdditive.com.

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Notes for Editors

6K press releases are available here: https://www.6kinc.com/6k-inc-news-room/

About 6K 

6K produces and innovates with UniMelt® microwave plasma technology for the localized production of critical materials. 6K’s UniMelt technology is applied across a vast range of markets, from additive manufacturing (6K Additive) and essential battery materials (6K Energy) to future growth sectors (6K Next). UniMelt plasma creates a path for true sustainability, reducing carbon emissions, lowering energy use, and utilizing recycled content to create a circular economy—all while reducing conversion costs and providing a secure, domestic supply chain. UniMelt is industrially operational and producing critical materials at scale today. The company’s headquarters and the 6K Energy Battery Center of Excellence are located in North Andover, MA, with 6K Additive’s production facility in Burgettstown, PA, and a full-scale PlusCAM™ battery material manufacturing plant under construction in Jackson, TN. For more information, visit www.6Kinc.com

About America Makes

America Makes is the nation’s leading public-private partnership for additive manufacturing (AM) technology and education. America Makes members from industry, academia, government, and workforce and economic development organizations work together to accelerate the adoption of AM and the nation’s global manufacturing competitiveness. Founded in 2012 as the Department of Defense’s national manufacturing innovation institute for AM and the first of the Manufacturing USA network, America Makes is based in Youngstown, Ohio, and managed by the not-for-profit National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM). Visit americamakes.us to learn more.

About Addman

Founded in 2020, ADDMAN is a vertically integrated provider whose capabilities span the design, manufacture, machining, post-processing, and quality processes needed to take any part from concept to production. From space applications to IndyCar racing teams, medical device manufacturers to robotic integrators, ADDMAN provides customers with value-driven engineered solutions enabling exceptional speed and value through the product life cycle, using radically innovative adaption of additive manufacturing technologies.

Visit addmangroup.com to learn more.

MEDIA CONTACTS:  

Bruce Bradshaw
Chief Marketing Officer
6K Inc.
Email: bbradshaw@bbradshaw
Phone: +1 603 689 4597

Dawn Marzano
Communications Director
America Makes
Email: dawn.marzano@ncdmm.org
Phone: +1 330 519 7951