IperionX
Examples of 3D printed titanium parts from IperionX
IperionX has announced that it has partered with Carver Pump, offering its titanium technologies for the additive manufacturing of titanium pump components for the U.S. Navy. Carver will design the titanium pump components, guide IperionX on prototyping, and lead the qualification of the parts for the U.S. Navy.
Carver is a designer and manufacturer of high-performance centrifugal pumps that have been used in every major U.S. Navy shipbuilding program for the past 60 years according to the company. Titanium pumps are prized by the U.S. Navy for ‘exceptional’ corrosion resistance, and are used across a range of naval applications, including fire suppression, seawater cooling, main propulsion seawater, bilge and desalination.
According to IperionX, the U.S. Navy has no domestic capacity to manufacture the large titanium castings required for high performance centrifugal pumps. IperionX says this leads to long lead times for new pump components sourced from a foreign controlled supply chain that exploits high cost and carbon intensive titanium metal.
IperionX says that its ‘lower cost, lower carbon’ titanium powders can be used to additively manufacture the specialised titanium pump components, which it says provides the U.S. Navy with the capability to reduce lead times for critical parts, increase equipment availability, and sustainably re-shore a ‘critical U.S. titanium supply chain.’
“In just four months, we’ve seen dynamic progress from IperionX. As they continue to develop synergies with Carver Pump and the U.S. Navy using 100% recycled titanium scrap as feedstock which will soon be produced in Halifax County, we look forward to seeing IperionX’s continued growth and success. This puts Virginia on the map for providing a critical material that is essential for our advanced industries including those exhibited just down the road at the U.S. Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence,” said Glenn Youngkin, Governor of Virginia.
The U.S. Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) has developed additive manufacturing processes for over 500 approved parts used in U.S. Ships and submarines according to the U.S. Navy.
According to IperionX, the traditional manufacturing method for producing high performance titanium pumps, titanium casting, is a high-cost manufacturing method that presents problems due to the high melting point of titanium (1,670°C) and high reactivity with oxygen.
Andrew Carver, CEO of Carver Pump said: “We are delighted to be working with IperionX to help introduce domestic sourced, 100% recycled titanium into the U.S. Navy’s supply chain. When coupled with benefits of additive manufacturing, the partnership provides a significant potential to benefit navy operations through the rapid production of complex, operation critical titanium parts, providing a potential reduction in lead times and increasing equipment availability. We see this partnership as the first step in a larger relationship focused on both Navy surface ships as well as new parts for other marine applications.”
Anastasios Arima, CEO of IperionX said: “These patented technologies can efficiently recycle domestic titanium scrap metal at lower cost than existing processes, and this high-quality titanium metal can be used for a range of manufacturing technologies, including additive manufacturing.”
In July 2022, IperionX and Oak Ridge National Laboratory announced a collaboration to advance the application of low cost alloys for additive manufacturing utilising spherical powder produced through IperionX’s titanium technologies.
