New high-yield separation process for the valorization of residual powders

PROJECT COST:

714 268 $

PRIMA CONTRIBUTION:

499 968 $

PROJECT DETAILS:

AP&C is a global leader in the production of metal powders through plasma atomization, a process that delivers powders with highly spherical morphology—ideal for additive manufacturing applications. With a team of 220 employees, AP&C is recognized as one of the world’s top suppliers of titanium and nickel powders for the biomedical and aerospace sectors.

To keep pace with growing demand, ensure product excellence, and maintain a competitive edge, AP&C continues to make significant investments in research and development.

However, powder production for additive manufacturing inevitably generates by-products—specifically, ultra-fine powders that fall outside customer specifications. The new process aims to significantly reduce the generation of these by-products through advanced separation technologies. By introducing mechanical refining, approximately 20,000 kg of atomized powder can be directly recovered and repurposed, rather than being discarded.

Preliminary studies also indicate that this new process could open doors to the development of products tailored for powder metallurgy. In these emerging applications, current technologies cannot economically meet the precise particle size and chemical composition requirements. Scaling this solution to an industrial level could enable the recovery and valorization of an additional 20,000 kg of strategic metal powders.

In summary, the proposed project offers AP&C a highly beneficial pathway to enhance productivity and profitability. It also contributes to reducing energy consumption and minimizing the company’s environmental impact by limiting raw material waste and the landfilling of hazardous residues.