6K Additive and Cumberland Partner for Supply of Material

At RAPID + TCT 2023, 6K Additive announces a partnership with Cumberland Additive Inc. (CAI) that includes a long-term agreement (LTA) where 6K Additive will supply CAI with Ni718 powder. The LTA also calls for expansion to supply an additional volume of nickel powder and additional alloys to support CAI’s production requirements.

“Our customer base continues to expand, and we need to ensure not only the quality of the powder but also a reliable supply chain that we can be 100 percent confident we can meet our manufacturing demand,” says Tim Blaisdell, chief strategy officer for CAI. “We’ve worked with the team at 6K Additive over the past 12 months and they have consistently proven to be a reliable partner. Key to our military and defense customer requirements, 6K Additive is a domestic supplier offering sustainably sourced feedstock making this the ideal partnership.”

6“We are excited about the partnership with Tim and the team at CAI," says 6K Additive President Frank Roberts. "As our capacity and capabilities increase, we need to align ourselves with growing organizations like CAI to ensure their strategic AM customers’ goals and needs are met. Securing long-term agreements allows our operation to forecast, plan, and ultimately produce powder at volumes that meet market demands. The LTA with CAI helps our operational efficiencies and builds long-term partnerships that provide mutual success.”

Cumberland Additive offers series production of parts and engineering design services in metals and polymer materials using multiple AM technologies including powder bed fusion technology. With locations in Pflugerville and Pittsburgh, Cumberland provides AM service for customers in major markets such as aerospace, defense, space, energy and industrial.

6K Additive produces AM metal powder made from sustainable sources and offers a suite of premium powder including nickel, titanium, copper, stainless steel, aluminum alloys and refractory metals such as tungsten and rhenium. 6K’s UniMelt system is a microwave production-scale plasma system, with a uniform plasma zone with contamination and high throughput production capabilities. The UniMelt process produces powders that are spherical, void of porosity, and satellites with better flowability. 

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.