Freemelt, a metal 3D printing technology company, has received an order for a Freemelt ONE machine from the University of Sheffield – targeting material research and development of manufacturing methods for 3D printed tungsten components to be used in fusion energy power plants.
The University of Sheffield is one of the world’s leading institutes within Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion (E-PBF) 3D printing technology optimized for the development of new alloys.
Tungsten has high mechanical strength, high corrosion resistance, and the highest melting point of all elements, which makes it suitable for use in industrial processes involving extreme temperatures, such as fusion energy production. However, due to its extreme melting temperature, tungsten is difficult to manufacture with traditional methods – making 3D printing particularly attractive for tungsten fabrication.
“I’m extremely proud that Freemelt now will have the first machine installed at the University of Sheffield. This order marks a milestone and puts Freemelt in the front among the most experienced E-PBF researchers and their material process research and application development for industrial applications within fusion energy,” said Daniel Gidlund, CEO of Freemelt. “The United Kingdom is one of the leading countries in research of renewable energy and the government is investing to further strengthen this position. As a result, we see an increasing interest in Freemelt’s products as our solutions bring extra value to tungsten applications. It is fantastic that Freemelt now is an important player in the growing British cluster for fusion energy and to be a part of the transformation towards a greener and more sustainable energy industry.”
“With many years of experience in electron beam 3D printing, it’s very exciting for us to be working with a new partner in Freemelt to bring their technology to bear in developing manufacturing solutions for rapidly emerging technologies such as fusion energy. Our longstanding relationship with the Freemelt team is something I very much look forward to continuing in this partnership,” said Professor Iain Todd, from the University of Sheffield.
