www.sandvik.com Sandvik, and its ‘part subsidiary’
www.beam-it.eu Beamit Group, have announced the ability to additively manufacture components in super duplex stainless steel. The components printed in Osprey 2507 metal powder are ‘almost fully dense (>99.9%) and crack-free’, even before post processing.
Produced and optimised in-house by Sandvik Additive Manufacturing for additive manufacturing (AM), Osprey 2507 is a super duplex alloy that offers ‘excellent corrosion resistance and a high level of mechanical strength’.
Sandvik’s super duplex stainless steels are already used successfully in highly corrosive environments, such as the seawater exposed offshore energy sector and in ‘demanding’ chemical processing — usually in the form of seamless tube, plate and bar. However, until now super duplex steel has proved a challenge in AM.
Mikael Schuisky, Sandvik Additive Manufacturing’s vice president and business unit manager, said: “By leveraging nearly two centuries of materials expertise and industry-leading know-how along the additive value chain, we are proud to say Sandvik is the first to offer 3-D printed super duplex components to the market.
“While many have tried and failed, we are very pleased to have seen components printed to a standard that not only meets but also outperforms that of several conventionally manufactured counterparts.”
Michele Antolotti, Beamit Group’s engineering and R&D manager, added: “We are very excited to co-launch this potent combination of a superior material and the disruptive benefits of AM to the market. Having already developed print parameters for single-laser machines, we are now progressing to expand our joint offering to include even larger applications.
“We are truly in a unique position to supply the offshore industries with an array of business-critical benefits, in terms of component performance and timely production alike.”
Sandvik has already presented an ‘impeller reinvented’ — a lighter, faster and more-efficiently manufactured ‘offshore essential’, developed in collaboration with energy giant Equinor and Norwegian company Eureka Pumps.
Now projects throughout various marine segments — where super duplex stainless steel is the material of choice — are ongoing, based on Sandvik’s “Plan it, Print it, Perfect it” approach.