For many years, additive manufacturing corporations have been depending on a slim pipeline of polymer powders. Alpha Powders, a Warsaw-based startup, goals to disrupt this dependence by way of spherodization, a processing expertise that converts irregular, pulverized plastic particles into optimized spherical powders appropriate for powder mattress fusion printing.
“Plastic was by no means meant to be pulverized,” mentioned Dominik Zdybał, CEO of Alpha Powders. “It was meant to deform, be powerful, to not break aside. The clue’s within the identify.”
Pulverizing plastic, usually by way of cryogenic strategies, ends in irregular particles with poor movement properties and excessive inner porosity. It is a important subject in powder mattress fusion functions the place materials uniformity and flowability are important for half power and repeatability.
Alpha Powders’ core innovation lies in turning these irregular particles into spheroids. Their proprietary technique modifies each form and particle dimension distribution. In testing, the transformation yields uniform powders with decreased porosity, higher flowability, and improved tensile power in printed elements.
“While you pour irregular powder into the machine, it emits a whole lot of dangerous mud,” Zdybał defined. “That mud is one thing you need to keep away from, not only for well being and environmental causes, but in addition as a result of it may possibly jam bearings and harm machines.” In distinction, their spherical powders are ergonomic to deal with and scale back contamination threat, whereas additionally enhancing consistency throughout printing.
The method helps quite a lot of superior formulations. Alpha Powders is presently collaborating with gear producer Fisch Tools to commercialize a carbon fiber-reinforced variant primarily based on polyamide. Zdybał highlighted one formulation: a powder with 3 GPa stiffness and simply 0.8 g/cm³ density, providing machinability alongside printability.
“That is tremendous light-weight materials with very excessive stiffness,” he mentioned. “It offers you the chance to print very light-weight, huge elements with a pleasant floor end.”
Alpha Powders targets sustainable upcycling with patented spheroidization platform
Alpha Powders is increasing the applicability of its patented spheroidization platform, providing a novel path to recycle and upcycle each waste plastics and spent powder from additive manufacturing processes. Pigmented for compatibility with diode laser programs and able to dealing with numerous thermoplastics, the expertise is already supporting functions from elastomers to structural composites.
“Our powders are all pigmented as a result of many programs use diode lasers,” defined Zdybał. “You can too get your palms on polyolefin-based materials with very excessive elasticity and elongation at break. It’s primarily based on inherently low cost feedstock.”
The corporate’s system isn’t restricted to virgin supplies. It permits post-processing of waste powder from selective laser sintering (SLS), enhancing its flowability and rheology. The result’s a higher-quality enter than the unique feedstock, positioning Alpha Powder’s strategy firmly inside the class of upcycling.
“That is upcycling in its purest kind,” mentioned Zdybał, referring to a current collaboration with Fishy Filaments. “That materials—100% recycled fishing web—was floating in a Cornish Bay two years in the past. Now, it’s getting used with reclaimed carbon fibre to create a sustainable formulation.”
The agency holds patents throughout key international markets, together with the US, EU, China, Korea, and Japan, for its spheroidization course of. The expertise capabilities as a platform able to treating a broad span of thermoplastics as much as 260°C, together with stuffed and pigmented composites, and fiber-reinforced supplies.
“That is fairly huge and fairly new,” Zdybał mentioned. “You possibly can work with carbon fibres or no matter else you need embedded in your grains.”
The response on the AMUG Convention was unexpectedly unified, he famous. “Everyone seems to be on the identical web page. Even when it’s their first time listening to about this technique of upcycling and powder creation, they instantly get the purpose.”
Whereas Alpha Powders hinted at a big upcoming venture, Zdybał declined to reveal particulars. “The perfect issues we can not present,” he mentioned. “However it’s going to be enormous.”
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Featured picture exhibits Alpha Powders Foamide pattern. Photograph by Michael Petch.
