South Korea's SeAH SST Joins America Makes: $160M Texas Plant to Produce 6,000 Tons of Specialty Alloy/AM Powder in H2
On August 4, 2026, SeAH Superalloy Technologies (SST), the U.S. subsidiary of South Korea's SeAH Besteel Holdings, officially announced its membership in America Makes, the U.S. National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute. SST also disclosed that its specialty alloy and additive manufacturing powder plant in Temple, Texas, is nearing completion. The project, with a total investment of KRW 2.13 trillion (approximately $160 million), is designed to produce 6,000 tons annually, covering a full range of AM powders including nickel-based superalloys, titanium alloys, and cobalt-chromium alloys, with commercial production slated to begin in the second half of 2026. SeAH Besteel Holdings, a specialty steel and alloy manufacturer under the SeAH Group, holds over 40% of the domestic special steel market in Korea. This move into the North American AM powder market via its U.S. subsidiary SST marks a key step in its transition from traditional specialty steel to high-end powder metallurgy. The SST Texas facility will be equipped with multiple VIGA and EIGA atomization systems capable of producing aerospace-grade spherical powders such as IN718, IN625, Ti64, and CoCrMo, with target customers including U.S. aerospace engine manufacturers like GE Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Boeing. America Makes, a public-private partnership for additive manufacturing led by the U.S. Department of Defense, counts GE Additive, Lockheed Martin, and NASA among its members. SST's membership signifies the official entry of Korean capital into the North American aerospace-grade AM powder supply chain, which has been dominated by American and European/Japanese companies. This move is expected to reshape the competitive landscape of the North American aerospace powder market, currently led by Carpenter Technology (U.S.), ATI Metals (U.S.), and Aubert & Duval (France). For powder buyers, SST's 6,000-ton capacity, once operational, will significantly boost global supply of high-end AM powders, particularly nickel-based superalloys (IN718/IN625) and titanium alloys (Ti64), potentially exerting competitive pressure on the current pricing structure dominated by Carpenter, ATI, and Aubert & Duval. For domestic powder exporters, SST's America Makes membership means its products will gain priority access to the U.S. defense supply chain certification system, presenting direct competition. Domestic powder companies should monitor SST's certification progress and its pricing strategies for Asia-Pacific customers.
2026-08-04
Heat Treatment Unlocks Optimal LPBF Parameters for Zr-2.5Nb Alloy: 800°C/2h Achieves 73% Ductility Improvement
A study published in MDPI Metals (August 2026) investigated the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process for Zr-2.5Nb alloy and identified the optimal parameter set: laser power 160 W, scan speed 1400 mm/s, layer thickness 30 μm, and hatch spacing 120 μm (volumetric energy density 31.7 J/mm³), followed by heat treatment at 800°C for 2 hours with air cooling. The heat treatment transformed the as-built acicular α' martensite into a coarsened lamellar α+β duplex structure (with β-Zr area fraction of ~6.0%), increasing uniform elongation from 4.02% to 6.94% (+73%) while maintaining excellent mechanical properties (yield strength 792 MPa, ultimate tensile strength 881 MPa). Zr-2.5Nb is a traditional material for nuclear reactor pressure tubes (CANDU-type) and corrosion-resistant chemical equipment (in acetic/hydrochloric acid environments), offering outstanding neutron transparency and corrosion resistance. However, systematic research on LPBF of Zr-2.5Nb has been scarce—primarily due to the high reactivity of zirconium alloy powders and the brittleness of LPBF-fabricated parts. This study is the first to establish a complete mapping of process window to microstructure to mechanical properties for LPBF Zr-2.5Nb, demonstrating that post-heat treatment at 800°C/2h can significantly improve ductility without notably compromising strength. This breakthrough addresses the key bottleneck of brittleness in LPBF-fabricated zirconium alloys and provides actionable process specifications for industrial adoption. For the nuclear industry, LPBF enables the integrated fabrication of complex internal flow channel components, replacing traditional multi-part welding processes and enhancing safety and reliability. The research team, from the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Queen's University in Canada, has extensive experience in additive manufacturing of nuclear materials. For powder buyers: Zr-2.5Nb falls under the specialty rare metal powder category, with very few global suppliers (e.g., ATI in the US, Framatome in France), and its price is significantly higher than conventional titanium alloy powders. As demand for additively manufactured zirconium components grows in nuclear and chemical sectors, this category may become a blue-ocean market for high-value-added powders. Domestic Chinese companies capable of producing zirconium alloy powders (e.g., Xi'an Sailong, AVIC Metel) should monitor early demand for LPBF zirconium powders in the nuclear industry.
2026-08-04
Over 60% of China's Medical-Grade 3D Printed Tantalum Powder Comes from This Guangdong Company
Stardust Technology (Guangdong) Co., Ltd., a spin-off from the Guangdong Academy of Sciences' Institute of New Materials, specializes in high-end refractory metal powders via radio-frequency (RF) plasma spheroidization. Since its founding in 2019, the company has mastered multi-process routes for producing spherical powders of rare refractory metals and compounds—including tantalum, niobium, tungsten, and their alloys—with core technologies fully self-developed. As a national high-tech and Guangdong 'Specialized, Refined, Distinctive, and Innovative' enterprise, it offers integrated solutions encompassing advanced equipment, spherical powders, and 3D printing. Its powders feature spherical degrees ≥95%, purity ≥99.95%, low oxygen content, and minimal satellite particles, making them suitable for SLM, EBM, and DED processes. Key applications span aerospace, biomedical implants (with over 60% domestic market share for medical tantalum powder and 2,000+ implant surgeries), nuclear energy, defense, communications, and semiconductors. The company operates a full production chain—from 15kW to 100kW RF plasma spheroidization systems, plasma rotating electrode atomization, and vacuum gas atomization to hot isostatic pressing—alongside precision testing instruments for quality control. It also hosts a leading 3D printing service platform in South China for material validation, prototyping, and batch production.
2026-08-03
