Metal Powder Works Doubles Production Capacity
Metal Powder Works Limited (ASX: MPW) (“the Company or "MPW"), a producer of high-quality metal powders for additive manufacturing and other advanced applications, is pleased to announce that it has met a milestone in the planned product development, which doubles the capacity of the DirectPowder™ process. The existing equipment can now produce twice as much powder without additional CAPEX investment. The development is attainable through the advancement in tooling and process optimization. The milestone is one of many to come that will scale the technology to meet expected demand.
The team also completed a second milestone that increased material utilization. This change minimizes material waste and increases cycle time, with more bar being converted to powder, reducing the production cycle time up to 40%. Both milestones are part of a planned development program that can be utilized on the existing DirectPowder™ process equipment and the new system currently in development.
These developments increase MPW’s capacity to over 100 metric tons of copper, nickel aluminium bronze (NAB), and copper-nickel (CuNi) bronze alloys as the Company looks to establish itself as a USA-based production source for the Defense Industrial Base (DIB). MPW has already provided trial amounts of the CuNi Bronze for US naval applications.
Copper-nickel (CuNi) and nickel aluminum bronze (NAB) alloys are highly valued for their exceptional resistance to seawater corrosion, strength, and wear resistance. The North American CuNi market, valued at $593.87 million in 2022, is projected to grow to $802.79 million by 2028, driven by expanding marine and industrial sectors. In 2024, MPW and HAMR Industries worked together to manufacture a representative valve body using CuNi powder and cold spray. Overall, the global metal powder market was estimated at USD 6.92 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% due to increasing demand for additive manufacturing components in aerospace and defence.
Metal Powder Works Co-Founder and Managing Director, John Barnes, commented: “We have delivered on two of our stated milestones with the implementation of these technology improvements on time and budget. Our team is demonstrating how we can scale the Company’s capacity without the costly CAPEX associated with other technologies.”