6K Additive to supply Ni718 to Cumberland Additive in long-term deal
May 3, 2023
6K Additive, based in North Andover, Massachusetts, USA, and Cumberland Additive (CAI), headquartered in Pflugerville, Texas, USA, have announced a partnership that includes a long-term agreement (LTA) in which 6K Additive will supply CAI with Ni718 powder. The LTA also calls for expansion to supply an additional volume of nickel powder, as well as further alloys to support CAI’s expanding 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% confident we can meet our manufacturing demand,” stated Tim Blaisdell, Chief Strategy Officer for CAI. “We’ve worked with the team at 6K Additive over the past twelve months and they have consistently proven to be a reliable partner. Key to our military and defence customer requirements, 6K Additive is a domestic supplier offering sustainably sourced feedstock making this the ideal partnership.”
Frank Roberts, president, 6K Additive, added, “We are excited about the partnership with Tim and the team at CAI. As our capacity and capabilities increase, we need to align ourselves with growing organisations 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 both metal and polymer materials, using multiple AM technologies including both laser- and electron-beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB & PBF-EB). With locations in Pflugerville and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Cumberland provides AM services to customers in major markets such as aerospace, defence, space, energy, and industrial sectors.
6K Additive is a producer of Additive Manufacturing metal powder made from sustainable sources. The company offers a full suite of powders, including nickel, titanium, copper, stainless steel, aluminum alloys, and refractory metals such as tungsten and rhenium. 6K’s proprietary UniMelt® system is a microwave production-scale plasma system that features a highly uniform and precise plasma zone with zero contamination and high throughput production capabilities.
