Sandvik Additive Manufacturing has become a strategic partner in GE Additive‘s binder jet beta partner program. Sandvik has one of the widest alloy programs for additive manufacturing on the market, marketed under the Osprey brand.

As the other contenders, Desktop Metal and ExOne have joined forces, GE Additive and HP 3D Printing are their major competitors in bringing metal binder jet to the DAMP market and this initiative can be seen as an acceleration in GE Additive’s scaling of its binder jet products.

Jacob Brunsberg, Binder Jet Product Line Leader, GE Additive explained: “Our approach to Binder Jet is making additive mass production a reality in every industry. And while it would be relatively easier to launch individual machines, we continue to hear from customers, especially in the automotive industry, that they need a complete solution that can scale.”

“Attracting partners like Sandvik—with know-how in industrializing innovation, deep materials knowledge, and a shared vision for the potential for additive technology—remains a cornerstone of our Binder Jet commercialization strategy,” he added.

Sandvik will work closely with GE Additive to become a certified powder supplier for a range of Osprey alloys that complement GE Additive and AP&C’s own materials portfolio—and will also use GE Additive’s H2 Binder Jet beta machine to support its internal and external customers.

GE Additive’s binder jet beta partner program leverages the company’s strength in industrializing additive technology with strong technical and innovative partners to rapidly grow its binder jet technology. The first phase involves developing the beta H2 system into pilot lines and eventually into a commercially available factory solution in 2021.

“Sandvik is a leading expert in gas-atomized additive manufacturing powders, as well as in optimizing the materials to customers’ specific print processes and applications,” said Kristian Egeberg, President of Sandvik Additive Manufacturing. “The materials collaboration with GE Additive offers great opportunities to qualify our wide range of Osprey metal powders for their new Binder Jet platform, to enhance end-customer productivity and product performance.”

Sandvik brings the program over 150 years of leading expertise in materials technology, more than 40 years experience of in powder atomization, leading know-how in post-processing methods such as metal cutting, sintering and heat treatment, and extensive expertise across the entire additive technology value chain—from metal powder to finished additive components. In 2019, Sandvik acquired a significant stake in BEAMIT, a leading European-based AM service bureau, and in 2020 the BEAMIT Group acquired 100% of ZARE, bringing together two leading AM service bureaus in Europe—to create one of the largest independent AM service providers, serving the most demanding industries.

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