Cooksongold, which has been part of HM Precious Metals since 2013, has launched a new industrial division to pioneer the use of precious metal additive manufacturing (AM) for a range of performance-critical applications.
Cookson Industrial, will provide ‘an end-to-end service’ comprising consultancy, R&D, new product development, and production — including conventional and subtractive manufacturing alongside its AM capabilities. These services will be managed from the Birmingham head office and manufacturing site.
Cookson Industrial said: “The use of precious metals in additive manufacturing offers organisations a new frontier for performance in extreme environments, where traditional alloys have failed to meet the thermal and material application challenges presented. Cookson Industrial aims to help organisations looking to explore the technology to de-risk their development, simplify their supply chains and shorten time to market.
“The company develops and manufactures a broad range of gas atomised precious metal powders on site, including gold, silver, platinum and palladium powders, which are refined from recycled sources where possible. All precious metal powders are available for purchase in small batches up to 15kg, or for use in Cookson Industrial’s ‘state of the art’ AM facility in Birmingham.”
This facility currently comprises six EOS Precious M 080 and M 100 AM machines, alongside a Renishaw AM 500S Flex single-laser AM machine. Moreover, Cookson Industrial has already partnered with the University of Birmingham to explore the development of precious metal alloys for AM applications throughout the aerospace, healthcare, and glass-fibre manufacturing sectors. Both organisations were jointly awarded a £750,000 Early-stage Prosperity Partnership funding from the
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
Nikesh Patel, head of Cookson Industrial, concluded: “While the use of precious metals in AM has largely been confined to the jewellery, luxury lifestyle industries, many more organisations are beginning to explore its potential for use in critical applications. Aerospace is viewed as a key growth market for Cookson Industrial, and the company is exploring new developments in satellite thruster design to help de-weight parts and reduce the volume of hazardous materials used in the manufacturing process.”