Norilsk Nickel has developed new nickel powders for powder metallurgy, and samples are currently in China with the largest 3D printer manufacturers. This was reported in an interview with TASS by Norilsk Nickel Vice President for Innovation Vitaly Busko.
According to him, powder metallurgy is one of the fastest growing areas of nickel use, and 3D printing is actively used in aircraft manufacturing and power engineering, but this requires special materials, and often these are powders using nickel.
“My partners and I have developed new nickel powders, tested them in Russia, and now these samples are in China with the largest printer manufacturers. They are testing and certifying them, and as soon as we receive quality certificates, we will think about how to distribute the powders,” he said.
Busko added that China is a potential market for their sales, although there is also high demand in Russia, about 500 tons per year. “Russia currently lacks capacity to produce powders, while global demand for them is about 10,000 tons per year,” he noted. /TASS/