Element, headquartered in London, UK, has received approval from GKN Aerospace Sweden AB to test metal powders at its Antwerp facility. The approval is seen as a significant milestone, and follows investment in a comprehensive suite of metallic testing services for Additive Manufacturing at Element’s Antwerp and Teeside laboratories, in accordance with ISO/ASTM 52907 standards.
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These laboratories are equipped with state-of-the-art technology and offer customers from various industries, including aerospace and medical devices, an extensive array of techniques and services for powder characterisation. These services encompass crucial aspects such as chemical composition, particle size distribution, morphology, contamination, flowability and characteristic densities.
Accurately determining powder properties is essential for quality assurance, as the quality of the powder significantly impacts the build process and the properties of the manufactured material. Element’s investment in these services enables the laboratory to ensure compliance and adhere to specification limits in an effort to guarantee the quality of the final parts produced.
With the growing industrial application of Powder Bed Fusion (PBF), and Additive Manufacturing in general, Element reports its laboratories are witnessing an increasing percentage of work dedicated to this technology, transitioning from research and development to active production.
Matt Hopkinson, EVP of EMEAA at Element, shared, “We are thrilled to receive approval from GKN Aerospace Sweden AB, a respected leader in the aerospace industry. This milestone highlights our commitment to advancing Additive Manufacturing and our dedication to providing exceptional testing services.”
“As 3D printing and Additive Manufacturing continue to expand across industries, our Antwerp and Teesside laboratories are well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of the industry and contribute to the success of our customers,” Hopkinson continued.
Both laboratories offer comprehensive testing for products throughout their entire lifecycle, including pre-service, post-service, and manufacturing stages. Element Antwerp is accredited by BELAC (NEN-EN-ISO/IEC17025) as a testing laboratory, while Element Teesside is intended to serve as the European centre of excellence for Additive Manufacturing. Together, they cater to customers from diverse sectors, such as energy, aerospace, transportation, and industrial. Their services include mechanical testing, metallography, chemical analysis, specimen preparation, and heat treatment.