Case example
Danish recycled metal powder is revolutionising the 3D metal printing industry
Asgaard Metals
In Frederiksværk, there is no longer any such thing as metal fatigue.
Asgaard Metals collects machine and steel parts that would otherwise have been shipped abroad as scrap and recycles them into metal powder for Additive Manufacturing (AM) and industrial 3D printing. The company is a sister company of Nordisk Staal and supports a simple, tailored and circular approach, where customers can hand in their scrap and have it remelted, so they can get it back either as a steel billet, as a powder for 3D printing – or both.
“Today, it is a challenge to recycle worn metal parts from industry. But now companies can deliver scrap steel to us, and they receive new material back in the same quantity as they delivered. We can offer identical solid steel and powder produced in the same process. As far as I know, we are currently the only ones in the world who can do that,” says Niels Appel, CEO of Asgaard Metals.
In this way, Asgaard Metals is revolutionising the industry with a material that is far more sustainable – and the company has also obtained concrete documentation showing that it produces metal powder sustainably.
“Through DTU, we have had a life cycle assessment (LCA) carried out on our powder for 3D printing. It shows that the powder has a reduced CO2 footprint of as much as 61 percent compared with conventionally produced metal powder,” says Niels Appel, adding that the company also uses only green energy in production.
Results from programmes with Dansk AM Hub
- A reduced CO2 footprint of as much as 61 percent compared with conventionally produced metal powder
- More sustainable
- Service life is extended by 30–50% compared with tools produced using conventionally produced steel.
- New opportunities to expand the market
Stronger and more durable
Asgaard Metals’ metal powder has unique properties in terms of strength and durability. These special properties are achieved due to the spray forming technology (Spray Forming) used by the company. Metal powder production takes place alongside the production of steel billets. Both powder and steel are particularly well suited for producing tools for, for example, injection moulding.
Asgaard Metals has found a niche with spray forming technology. In traditional production of steel components, steel is melted in a “pot” and processed in a mould. When spray forming is used, molten steel is “sprayed” into open air, creating a cylindrical billet. In this process, sparks of steel particles are ejected. These particles are collected and converted into powder for 3D printing.
Niels Appel explains what this special production method means:
“Because of the Spray Forming technology, the material achieves properties that are not possible with traditional production. We achieve hardness levels that cannot otherwise be attained. A positive effect is that durability is extended by 30–50 percent compared with tools produced using conventionally produced steel.”
The Danish AM ecosystem was activated during the development phase
Asgaard Metals originated from Nordisk Staal, which in 2018 began exploring opportunities for using surplus metal powder from production for AM. This happened when the USA, one of the largest buyers of steel billets, imposed a 25 percent tariff on foreign steel, which led to a temporary halt in production.
The Managing Director of Nordisk Staal, Jan Sørensen, was among the first to contact Dansk AM Hub. Dansk AM Hub helped facilitate contact with, in particular, international players in the AM ecosystem and carried out a market study of the opportunities for the metal powder.
“Dansk AM Hub’s efforts were an important contribution for us at a crucial time. Both the contacts with the major foreign printer companies and the overall market study were important contributions to our decision to establish Asgaard Metals and invest in sustainable metal printing powder produced in Denmark,” explains Jan Sørensen.
From the outset, DTU and Force Technology have been essential partners in testing and developing the metal powder. Asgaard Metals also continues to collaborate with DTU and FORCE Technology to test more of their powders, patent their technology and, not least, identify a number of partners interested in having their steel scrap remelted into powder. This process has been initiated with support from the Innovation Fund in a project called DECOR.
Asgaard Metals is launching in the Danish market and will expand, first into the European market and later into the US market. Scrap steel should not be transported over long distances. The vision is to enter into joint venture companies, where production facilities are established in different countries. Establishing multiple factories will also strengthen Asgaard Metals’ guarantee of security of supply for its customers.
About the company
Asgaard Metals
Location
Frederiksværk
Number of employees
4
Info
Asgaard Metals is a Danish metal recycling company that produces high-quality tool steel and metal powder for 3D printing.
Optimise your opportunities
Is your production setup a limitation-or a strength?
And are there new opportunities?
Related cases
Get inspired
KC Denmark3D printing opens the door to new customer dialogues and more efficient production for KC Denmark
BEWIBEWI significantly reduces tool weight and achieves greater flexibility
Create it REALCreate it REAL: Local circular 3D production creates global business potential
Carmo