Powderloop Technology Limited, specialists in in-situ alloying technology, have joined the ‘Prepare for Space’ initiative to spin their resource efficient powder manufacturing technology and next generation hard-facing powders into the space industry, enhancing sustainability and supply-chain resilience in the European space industry.
In-situ alloying involves the formation of a micro-scale carbide directly in the melt pool during the additive manufacturing process. The evenly distributed, homogeneous carbide precipitates enhance the material hardness, fracture toughness and corrosion resistance, protecting components used in extreme environments such as those encountered by the space sector. Powderloop’s spherical, free-flowing powders are produced by agglomerating fine elemental and/or master-alloy particles into composite granules, allowing a wide range of materials to be used, including refractory metals (e.g. tungsten, tantalum, niobium, titanium), hardmetals (e.g. tungsten carbide), and cermets (e.g. titanium carbide) for metal additive manufacturing (AM).
Powderloop’s technology expands the potential to design application-specific microstructures and achieve targeted material properties for multifunctional demands in space applications, while also offering an estimated a 50% reduction in energy usage and a 15-25% reduction in materials waste. The last three years have seen Powderloop develop a series of new, sustainable ceramic-metal (cermet) materials, reducing dependency on strategic materials.
As the space sector moves towards in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) solutions, the ability to create engineered powders for specific repair or construction tasks could prove more valuable than mass-produced generic alloys.
The innovative cobalt-free, tungsten-titanium-based, multi-carbide powder produced by Powderloop is currently at technology readiness level (TRL) 3 / 4. Because it includes a nickel or iron-rich matrix, the powder uses a lower use of tungsten carbide, while it can also be optimised to meet application-specific challenges. The powder is suitable for use with a range of additive manufacturing processes, including Directed Energy Deposition (L-DED), Extreme High-Speed Laser Material Deposition (EHLA) and Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF).
The powder could find uses for wear-resistant tools such as drilling equipment, robotic joints for lunar and Martian exploration, where components must withstand the high-abrasive regolith processing. It may also be suitable for applications such as propulsion, thruster nozzles, or for repairing high-value spacecraft components that require resistance to wear, corrosion, and high temperature stability.
Prepare for Space
Through the Prepare for Space programme, Powderloop aim to coat test coupons and components with the new powder and evaluate their performance for space applications, advancing the technology from TRL3/4 to TRL6.
This aligns with the growth in the use of additive manufacturing metal powders for space applications, driven by increasing demand for in-space manufacturing, on-orbit repair, and the development of high-value, mission-critical components using advanced refractory and alloyed materials.
Despite this growth there is still a gap in the availability of high-performance metal powders that are optimised for extreme environments and including high wear resistance, thermal stability and efficient manufacturability.
The technical potential of Powderloop’s offering is evident, but there is insufficient defining of the market opportunity, applications, and commercial positioning within the space supply chain. To address this, the Prepare for Space programme will provide a targeted market analysis of advanced coatings applied via additive manufacturing and thermal spraying for space applications, strengthen the business case for deployment of the technology in relevant space applications, and identify and develop commercial opportunities within the European and international space supply chain.
Through this work, Powderloop will be able to better align their technology with validated end-user requirements and accelerate its transition from development to commercial deployment in space applications.
TWI Ltd, as the ESA technology Broker for the UK will work alongside Cosmic Bridge Ltd to provide a materials and market opportunity assessment followed by use-case definition and opportunity framing. Following this, coating implementation feasibility using the selected powder will be conducted by TWI, ahead of commercial direction assistance courtesy of Bearingline.