Reducing waste through use of emerging technologies
Additive Layer Manufacturing (‘3D printing’) of components from alloys is intrinsically less wasteful than forging and machining to the final product:– unused alloy can be recycled directly.
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Currently, Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb is one of the few alloys where this process has been used at an industrial scale, but we anticipate that the process will quickly become very much more common, particularly in industries using high-value feed materials. These might be Rare Earth alloys, or alloys using platinum group metals.
In the longer term, reduced wastage in materials and energy may see this technique replacing traditional forging methods for a wider range of metal manufactures.
Designing Alloys for Resource Efficiency (DARE)
Addressing future resource challenges for alloys in manufacturing.