FLSmidth is a mining equipment supplier based in Copenhagen, Denmark. The company hopes that childhood additive manufacturing technologies will help reduce production downtime, because once the shutdown can cost companies in the industry up to $ 3,000 per hour.
Titomic is the patent owner of Titomic Kinetic Fusion (TKF) metal 3D printing process. On July 10, 2019, Antarctic Bear was informed that the company has signed an agreement with FLSmidth.
Titomic Managing Director Jeff Lang said, "Titomic is proud to partner with FLSmidth, the global leader in sustainable productivity in the mining industry, and is pleased to provide the mining industry with TKF additive manufacturing parts with real economic value."
The technology called Titomic Kinetic Fusion uses a process similar to cold spray to build titanium parts layer by layer instead of simply coating the surface. According to Titomic, the technology has no restrictions in shape and size.
As a cold spray manufacturing technology, TKF additive manufacturing is capable of fusing multiple different metals together in a single part. With this capability, Titomic can introduce different high-performance materials that would otherwise not be able to manufacture these materials using other methods.
FLSmidth's interest in the TKF process is in particular the combination of high wear resistance that can be achieved in parts. First, the companies will conduct production tests on these parts of the mining equipment. Through prototyping, Titomic will validate components in the mining industry.
Advantages of the Titomic Kinetic Fusion ™ process:
· Different metal fuses for large seamless structures with enhanced engineering characteristics
· Stronger construction without welding, folding or bending
No need for mass production tools
Industry-leading build rate = faster manufacturing time and faster time to market
· More efficient use of energy and resources, saving production costs
Once successfully completed, Titomic will use TKF trials to negotiate supply contracts with FLSmidth.
TKF is patented by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Titomic is the sole owner of the right to commercialize the process. On the road to commercial use, the company has so far reached a $ 1.8 million deal with TAUV maker TAUV and has agreed to prototype a screw extrusion system for German international metal parts manufacturer C.A.PICARD.
Titomic Kinetic Fusion has the same advantages as most other 3D printing processes: faster processing speeds, lower production costs, and complex parts can be formed in one piece without additional machining, welding or other processing. Better materials can also be used because powders can be made from mixed metals and alloys. Titomic said: "It surpasses other forms of 3D printing in terms of speed and scale. There is no risk of warping when the powder is instantly adhered to the surface. It can be used on a variety of metals, as well as ceramics, glass, stone and plastic."