Bodycote, the world's largest provider of heat treatment and specialist thermal processing services, introduces Bodycote Powdermet technologies, a group of additive manufacturing processes used in the production of complex components using powder metallurgy.

Bodycote has decades of experience creating complex, high integrity components from powdered metal. Bodycote Powdermet technologies now incorporate new, patent-pending techniques that combine 3D printing with well-established net shape and near net shape techniques. This new technology dramatically reduces the manufacturing time and production cost of a part compared to producing the same part using 3D printing alone.

Powdermet technologies ensure complete powder consolidation, achieve structural homogeneity, and eliminate internal porosity and unconsolidated powder flaws. The process can produce components with varying surface features and thicknesses, with higher structural integrity than alternative production techniques. The need for brazing or welding parts together to form larger structures is eliminated. Instead, the finished article can be produced as one seamless component and largely avoid the size limitations imposed by the constraints of 3D printing. Different parts of a component can be formed from different alloys presenting the ideal and most cost-efficient solution. Component design can be tailored to the actual requirements for performance and not limited by subsequent machining operations.

Stephen Harris, Group Chief Executive, commented that "the recent breakthroughs are truly game changing technologies for component design and manufacturing. Industry applications are wide ranging with early adoption expected in aerospace, oil and gas, power generation and mining".

Bodycote continues to invest in resources and capital for development in additive manufacturing technology to create significant value for customers and meet the future growth demands. As well as its Powdermet technologies, Bodycote provides a full range of heat treatment, hot isostatic pressing (HIP) and electrical discharge machining (EDM) services across North America and Europe tailored specifically to support the needs of companies manufacturing metal components utilising 3D printing.