With the launch of Custom Foundry Runtime (CFR), Continuum Powders is making its plasma-gas atomization infrastructure available to manufacturers, researchers, and advanced materials developers on their terms, covering everything from specialty alloy development and small-batch production runs to the processing of high-value and precious metal materials. The offering formalizes a capability Continuum has long applied internally, turning it into a structured, customer-facing service with a minimum batch size of 40–50 kg.
The launch addresses a persistent friction point in the materials supply chain: organizations working with proprietary alloy chemistries, precious metals, or development-scale quantities have historically struggled to find atomization providers willing to accommodate them without large volume commitments or compromises on material security. CFR is designed to remove that barrier entirely.
“Custom Foundry Runtime represents an important evolution for Continuum Powders,” said Jon Cozens, CEO. “We’re seeing growing demand for flexible alloy development and secure processing capabilities, particularly for customers working with highly specialized or precious materials. CFR gives companies access to advanced atomization infrastructure without forcing them into traditional large-scale production models that don’t fit their needs.”
What CFR Enables
The service covers the full development-to-production arc, from validating new alloy chemistries and running pilot-scale precious metal atomization, including platinum group metals and gold-based materials at 400 OTN/day, through to scaling into commercial production. Alongside that flexibility, CFR incorporates secure material handling protocols specifically designed for high-value and sensitive feedstocks.
The company has also closed its first CFR engagement of the year, centered on atomization work for a precious metal alloy. The offering targets programs that require rapid iteration and close technical collaboration, including pilot-scale initiatives and materials projects where procurement flexibility matters, compressing the timeline between early-stage development and commercial-scale output while reinforcing supply chain continuity.
A Market Shifting Toward Flexible, On-Demand Powder Production
Continuum’s CFR launch reflects a broader structural strategy in how the metal powder sector is evolving, away from rigid, high-volume supply models and toward flexible, accessible infrastructure that can support the pace of materials innovation. Conventional gas and plasma atomization techniques are optimized for industrial-scale output and typically require feedstock quantities in the tens of kilograms, making them economically impractical for developing small quantities of novel alloys, a constraint that has long slowed R&D cycles and limited who can realistically access advanced atomization capability. Continuum’s CFR offering targets exactly that gap.
The market momentum behind this strategy is clear. AMAZEMET introduced an on-demand atomization service enabling small-batch production starting at just 50 grams of material, specifically addressing the bottleneck in materials research and alloy development that conventional techniques create.
3D Lab launched its ATO Suite at Formnext 2024, centered on a lab-sized ultrasonic atomizer providing on-demand powder production for reactive and non-reactive metals, with a specialized noble metal atomizer for high-value material recovery and a modular design catering to businesses of all sizes.
Where those offerings target laboratory and research-scale users, Continuum’s CFR positions itself at the next tier, pilot-scale and qualification-stage programs requiring industrial-grade plasma atomization, proprietary alloy handling, and a credible path to commercial production volumes.
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Featured image shows Continuum Powders has introduced Custom Foundry Runtime (CFR). Image via Continuum Powders.
