The Inevitable Choice for Cost Reduction in Metal 3D Printing Powder Production: Dikai Electromechanical Launches Integrated Intelligent Argon Gas Recovery System

PanDen 2024-9-25 23:49 Materials

Panda3dp.com Guide: As Chinese production of metal powder materials for 3D printing enters an era of large-scale manufacturing, the demand for inert gases like argon has surged. For instance, in the widely used gas atomization powder production process, gas costs account for 30%-50% of the total production cost. Efficiently recovering and reusing exhausted argon can dramatically reduce gas expenses, further lowering production costs. In fact, some powder manufacturers have already adopted this approach.

On September 20, 2024, Panda3dp.com attended the product launch event hosted by Shaanxi Dikai Electromechanical(陕西迪凯机电), where the company unveiled its "Fourth Generation Integrated Intelligent Argon Gas Recovery System." This innovative solution is designed to reduce gas costs for metal powder production in 3D printing and can be applied across the entire metal powder industry, including EIGA, VIGA, PREP, heat treatment furnaces, and powder screening equipment. According to Panda3dp.com, the price of titanium alloy powder for 3D printing has plummeted from 600 CNY/kg last year to less than 300 CNY/kg today—a staggering 50% drop. Without adopting argon gas recovery systems, powder manufacturers will struggle to maintain a competitive edge in the market.

Fourth Generation Integrated Intelligent Argon Gas Recovery System

Compared to the first-generation equipment, the fourth-generation system offers oil-free recovery, superior overall gas tightness, and ensures low oxygen content in the final powder products. With a recovery rate exceeding 95%, high levels of intelligence and modularity, and a footprint of less than 40 square meters, the system can be delivered within three months and features an extended maintenance interval of up to 6,000 hours. It offers reliable, 24/7 continuous operation with a design lifespan of over 10 years. Additionally, the system boasts significant noise reduction, and the domestic production rate for its components has reached over 98%. Dikai Electromechanical's fourth-generation system can be used in various industries, including gas atomization powder production, 3D metal printing, magnetic materials, special alloys, amorphous materials, superconductors, refractory metals, and hard alloys.

△Dikai Electromechanical's fourth-generation intelligent integrated argon gas recovery equipment

At the launch event, Chairman Sun Yazhou highlighted that the newly unveiled intelligent argon gas recovery system significantly surpasses the previous three generations. "Firstly, the system integrates the design of gas flow from low-pressure to high-pressure zones, temperature control, and gas quality management. Secondly, its intelligent design allows for adaptive adjustments, making it suitable not only for powder production but also for future applications in magnetic and ceramic material manufacturing. Additionally, the platform is easily upgradable to accommodate larger flow rates and pressures, meeting the demands of large-scale production lines."

△Dikai Electromechanical Chairman Sun Yazhou

Achieving Domestic Substitution of Argon Gas Boosters

Argon gas boosters, one of the core components of recovery systems, had previously been unavailable domestically. However, after continuous research and development, Dikai Electromechanical has successfully achieved domestic production of argon gas boosters, providing zero-level oil-free operation with higher pressures and larger flow rates.

Due to the unique properties of argon gas and the high safety and reliability standards required by 3D printing metal powder enterprises, only imported oil-free argon gas boosters were previously used. Now, Dikai Electromechanical’s domestically produced booster can replace these imports, and real-world project validations have shown that its performance, functionality, reliability, and maintainability fully meet technical requirements.

An Inevitable Choice for Cost Reduction in 3D Printing Powder Production

As continuous innovation drives down costs, metal 3D printing equipment will become increasingly intelligent and efficient, achieving higher production outputs and more precise print quality. Meanwhile, the range of metal materials will expand to meet the demands of various industries.

Metal 3D printing technology is widely used in sectors such as aerospace, mold manufacturing, dental, and medical fields. With further reductions in powder costs, the technology holds vast potential in 3C electronics and automotive manufacturing. Moreover, metal 3D printing will drive the digitization and intelligent transformation of manufacturing, enhancing efficiency and competitiveness across the entire industrial chain.

More and more companies are entering the metal powder production industry, with gas atomization being the most widely used production process. To maintain process stability, a large amount of argon gas is consumed as a protective gas. Statistics show that some 3D printing powder companies spend more than 28 million CNY annually on argon gas. This staggering gas consumption presents significant challenges to operations and production. As unchecked gas emissions result in wasted resources, businesses urgently need innovative solutions to address the problem. The integrated intelligent argon gas recovery system can recover, purify, and filter used argon at the end of production lines, achieving a purity of 99.999%. By recycling the argon gas, companies can save costs, improve efficiency, and contribute to the country's dual-carbon strategy.

Conclusion

The launch event attracted numerous representatives from domestic 3D printing powder manufacturers and gas suppliers, who engaged in deep discussions with the Dikai Electromechanical technical team. Attendees lauded the argon gas recovery system, noting its competitive edge over imported equipment. The initial investment and maintenance costs are significantly lower, and the payback period is much shorter. The system displayed at the event has already been ordered by a customer.

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