We’re starting with material distribution news in this weekend’s 3D Printing News Briefs, and then on to outer space. We’ll end with a story about an ancient board game. Read on for all the details!
6K Additive Names AMPERE Alloys as New European Distributor
6K Additive’s UniMelt® enables the sustainable manufacture of high-performance metal powders, now more readily available to European manufacturers through AMPERE Alloys.
U.S. company 6K Additive produces high-performance, sustainable metal powders for additive manufacturing (AM), including refractory metals, titanium, and nickel-based superalloys. It recently announced that it’s appointed AMPERE Alloys as an official distributor of its powders for the European market. AMPERE is a premier European specialist in metals and ferro-alloys for industrial applications, and by partnering with 6K Additive, it will expand its product offering. European manufacturers will enjoy direct, streamlined access to 6K Additive’s suite of metal AM powders, which are made using the company’s proprietary UniMelt microwave plasma production system. AMPERE brings to the table its regional expertise, extensive distribution logistics, and strong commercial network, and its commitment to quality system management makes the specialist a great fit for 6K Additive’s technology. Per the agreement, AMPERE Alloys will handle powder sales, localized distribution, and first-line technical support from its 12 European warehouses.
“Expanding our footprint into Europe requires a partner that shares our uncompromising dedication to quality, regulatory compliance, and customer satisfaction. AMPERE Alloys is the ideal partner to champion our sustainable metal powders in Europe. Their established logistical network and technical expertise will ensure that aerospace, defense, medical, and energy customers across the continent can rapidly integrate our premium materials into their production workflows,” said 6K Additive CEO Frank Roberts.
ESA’s Metal 3D Printer Technology Demonstrator Produces 5th Sample
ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot showing the fifth printed sample to the ground teams during the activity. ESA/NASA
In 2024, the first metal 3D printer in orbit, ESA’s Metal 3D Printer Technology Demonstrator, was launched to the International Space Station. Now, the fifth sample has been produced on that printer, and retrieved during the Epsilon mission by ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot. On long missions, it’s impractical to carry large amounts of spare parts, and resupply is not always possible, so that’s why onboard 3D printing could be useful here. By working with the Demonstrator, astronauts gain important experience, and better understand the potential of metal 3D printing in space. Each print that’s completed on the ISS focuses on a different aspect of the technology’s performance and capability, and three metal 3D printed samples have already
We’re starting with material distribution news in this weekend’s 3D Printing News Briefs, and then on to outer space. We’ll end with a story about an ancient board game. Read on for all the details!
6K Additive Names AMPERE Alloys as New European Distributor
6K Additive’s UniMelt® enables the sustainable manufacture of high-performance metal powders, now more readily available to European manufacturers through AMPERE Alloys.
U.S. company 6K Additive produces high-performance, sustainable metal powders for additive manufacturing (AM), including refractory metals, titanium, and nickel-based superalloys. It recently announced that it’s appointed AMPERE Alloys as an official distributor of its powders for the European market. AMPERE is a premier European specialist in metals and ferro-alloys for industrial applications, and by partnering with 6K Additive, it will expand its product offering. European manufacturers will enjoy direct, streamlined access to 6K Additive’s suite of metal AM powders, which are made using the company’s proprietary UniMelt microwave plasma production system. AMPERE brings to the table its regional expertise, extensive distribution logistics, and strong commercial network, and its commitment to quality system management makes the specialist a great fit for 6K Additive’s technology. Per the agreement, AMPERE Alloys will handle powder sales, localized distribution, and first-line technical support from its 12 European warehouses.
“Expanding our footprint into Europe requires a partner that shares our uncompromising dedication to quality, regulatory compliance, and customer satisfaction. AMPERE Alloys is the ideal partner to champion our sustainable metal powders in Europe. Their established logistical network and technical expertise will ensure that aerospace, defense, medical, and energy customers across the continent can rapidly integrate our premium materials into their production workflows,” said 6K Additive CEO Frank Roberts.
ESA’s Metal 3D Printer Technology Demonstrator Produces 5th Sample
ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot showing the fifth printed sample to the ground teams during the activity. ESA/NASA
In 2024, the first metal 3D printer in orbit, ESA’s Metal 3D Printer Technology Demonstrator, was launched to the International Space Station. Now, the fifth sample has been produced on that printer, and retrieved during the Epsilon mission by ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot. On long missions, it’s impractical to carry large amounts of spare parts, and resupply is not always possible, so that’s why onboard 3D printing could be useful here. By working with the Demonstrator, astronauts gain important experience, and better understand the potential of metal 3D printing in space. Each print that’s completed on the ISS focuses on a different aspect of the technology’s performance and capability, and three metal 3D printed samples have already