Cooksongold has established Cookson Industrial, a new division aimed at applying precious metal AM technologies to industrial sectors. This division expands the company’s expertise beyond jewelry into fields like aerospace and healthcare, focusing on the use of precious metals in environments where traditional materials fall short.
Cookson Industrial, part of HM Precious Metals, is offering a full suite of services including consultancy, R&D, NPD, and production. The services combine traditional and additive manufacturing methods, and will be managed from Cooksongold’s Birmingham headquarters. The company produces a range of gas atomized precious metal powders, including gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, which are available in small batches up to 15kg. These powders can be purchased or used within their advanced additive manufacturing facility, which houses six EOS Precious M 080 and M 100 AM machines, alongside a Renishaw AM 500S Flex single laser AM machine.
Nikesh Patel, Head of Cookson Industrial, emphasized the value of these resources, stating, “For extreme environments such as aerospace, where there is no room for compromise, the performance characteristics of precious metals can offer a whole new world of design parameters compared to traditional alloys.”
Partnership with University of Birmingham
A key component of Cookson Industrial’s strategy is its collaboration with the University of Birmingham. The partnership focuses on developing precious metal alloys tailored for additive manufacturing, particularly for industries requiring materials that can withstand extreme conditions. Supported by a £750,000 grant from the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the initiative aims to drive innovation in the use of precious metals within the AM sector.
Patel further added, “There is also a lot of dynamism in the UK aerospace sector with many legacy processes set for disruption. However, given the significant cost of the powders themselves—a full hopper often outweighs the purchase price of the AM machine—many organizations have struggled to fully commit to R&D. As we produce and print with our own powder supply, we can help de-risk the process by offering the optimum parameters for powder production, storage, and use. This will help reduce powder loss and the associated impact on project costs, while giving organizations access to one of the most innovative production environments in the UK.”
Evolution of the Precious Metal Additive Manufacturing Market
In 2015, the precious metal additive manufacturing market was projected to reach $4.1 billion by 2024, driven by its anticipated use in sectors like aerospace and healthcare. 9 years later, there’s no doubt the landscape has evolved. While aerospace and healthcare remain central, the luxury goods sector, particularly fashion, has significantly shaped market growth.
XJet, is one company hoping to apply 3D printing to this sector and has successfully leveraged its NanoParticle Jetting (NPJ) technology to meet the high precision and quality demands of the luxury fashion industry. NPJ has enabled the creation of intricate and customized designs, driving innovation in a market that values aesthetics and material properties.
While the market may not have exactly hit the $4.1 billion target yet, the scope of its impact has broadened considerably. Companies like Cookson Industrial are at the forefront of this evolution, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with precious metals in additive manufacturing and exploring new frontiers in both traditional and unexpected sectors.
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Featured image shows A detailed close-up of a lattice structure produced using precious metal additive manufacturing. Photo via Cookson Industrial.
