6K Additive and Metal Powder Works Announce Strategic Partnership to Bring Pure Copper, Copper Alloys, and Bronze AM Powder to the Market

Fully executed memorandum of understanding (MOU) leverages both organizations’ highly sustainable production technologies to manufacture spherical powder

FRANKFURT, Germany, Nov. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — 6K Additive, a division of 6K Inc. and leader in the sustainable production of materials for additive manufacturing and metal alloys and Metal Powder Works (MPW), the leader in solid state powder production, announced today at the Formnext conference the signing of an MOU and strategic partnership to produce pure copper, copper alloys, leading to strategically important powders such as copper/nickel, and bronze alloy powders for additive manufacturing. The high yield production achievable with both Metal Powder Works’ DirectPowder™ Process and 6K Additive’s UniMelt^® microwave plasma ensures economic advantages, faster time to market, and sustainable production from both feedstock creation and the production of these materials.

“The market for copper is eager for a scalable solution that can not only deliver high-quality material, but one that can bring simplicity to the supply chain with a very sustainable process,” said Frank Roberts, President of 6K Additive. “The synergies between our two organizations ensure customers can source their material sustainably, reliably, and with the quality that meets their stringent specifications.”

Metal Powder Works CEO and Founder John Barnes added, “This partnership is a win for both 6K Additive and Metal Powder Works, but most importantly for our customers who are looking to utilize copper for a variety of applications such as heat sinks, battery components, particularly for the rapidly growing EV market, and critical parts for the marine industry. This alliance with 6K Additive opens up MPW’s technology to provide more materials to the AM market.”

MPW’s DirectPowder™ process can produce powders tailored to the manufacturing process through its patented process that provides consistent powder size and shape. Its current powder portfolio includes high-strength aluminum and highly conductive copper powders, and new alloys are actively in development through the newly launched MPW Developer Network.

6K Additive is the world’s first producer of AM powder made from sustainable sources and offers a full suite of premium powder, including nickel, titanium, copper, stainless steel, aluminum alloys, and refractory metals such as tungsten, niobium, and rhenium. The proprietary UniMelt^Ò system is the world’s only microwave production-scale plasma system, with a highly uniform and precise plasma zone, zero contamination, and high throughput production capabilities.

Notes for Editors

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

About 6K

With sustainability at its core, 6K has developed UniMelt®, a proprietary advanced microwave plasma production system, to transform engineered materials into revolutionary products that advance industries across additive manufacturing, renewable energy, aerospace, consumer electronics, and more. 6K represents 6000 degrees, both the temperature of the operation of UniMelt®, the world’s only microwave production scale plasma system, and the temperature of the sun’s surface. 6K was founded in North Andover, Massachusetts.

The 6K Energy division is focused on the production of low-cost, sustainable, and domestically produced battery material accelerating the pace of battery production and adoption of electric vehicles. The 6K Additive division specializes in sustainably sourced, AM metal powders production and reclamation, using a proprietary milling and cleaning process that ensures contamination-free, high-quality powders. For more information, visit www.6Kinc.com.

About Metal Powder Works

MPW was founded in 2017 by aerospace and defense industry veterans with profound knowledge of additive manufacturing and powder production. Their experience with AM applications drove them to think about powder production in a revolutionary new way, resulting in the patented MPW DirectPowder™ process, which produces tailorable powders in a wide variety of alloys. The MPW process represents the first true innovation in powder manufacturing in over 50 years.

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