Atomik AM has introduced it’s working with gasoline cell and hydrogen manufacturing know-how developer Cygnus Atratus to discover how waste from its aluminium 3D printing processes could possibly be used to create clear vitality.
The challenge is being funded by the Low Carbon Eco-Innovatory, a 12 million GBP partnership between the College of Liverpool, LJMU and Lancaster College, and is being led by engineer Luke Evans whose PhD is targeted on Cygnus Atratus’ alkaline gasoline cell and its use for stationary energy functions.
In a submit shared by Atomik AM, Evans defined: “For this challenge, I will likely be analysing the waste that’s produced from Atomik AM’s printers and trying to quantify how a lot vitality will be produced, together with some projections.
“Each corporations share my values and need for social change so it’s a pleasure to be main this challenge and dealing throughout two extremely gifted groups.”
Atomik AM makes use of pure aluminium powders, sourced within the UK, for its binder jet 3D printing course of, which it claims opens up ‘superior thermal administration prospects for vitality functions.’ With this challenge, the Liverpool-based firm says it has got down to create another route for the waste attributed to steel binder jet, which can, in line with Atomik, typically reuse as little as 4% of its powder feedstock.
Cygnus Atratus, in the meantime has developed a gasoline cell which will be manufactured wherever on this planet utilizing additive manufacturing. If this preliminary challenge stage introduced right this moment is profitable, the staff plans to hunt further funding to design, construct and check a conversion machine, which might be developed alongside Cygnus Atratus founder Nicholas Abson.
Kate Black, Atomik AM’s Founder & CEO, commented: “It’s nice to hitch forces with a like-minded firm! Cygnus Atratus and Atomik AM each see having a constructive affect on the world and making a fairer and extra equitable society by means of our work as non-negotiables. We hope this challenge is simply the beginning for us paving the way in which for extra sustainable manufacturing processes.”
In an interview with TCT earlier this yr, Black shared Atomik AM’s imaginative and prescient for “agile manufacturing for a sustainable future.” Taking a ‘materials-first’ and solutions-oriented strategy, the corporate believes additive manufacturing has a powerful position to play in sustainable manufacturing if “we get the supplies proper within the first place, and so they add worth.”