The ATOMCESS project begins, aimed at advanced component repair through additive manufacturing.

The ATOMCESS project has recently begun, led by WINOA IBERICA, a company with great experience in industrial processes of atomizing steel powder from selected scrap. The project seeks to develop new raw materials for the advanced repair of components through additive manufacturing processes.

Every year in Spain, more than 500 tons of defective parts are remelted into high-alloy steels, with the consequent impact on energy consumption and the associated carbon footprint. Additive manufacturing techniques applied to the defect of the part to be repaired allow us to offer an environmentally more efficient solution than remelting. The process consists of spraying on metal powder particles that are melted during their flight before reaching the deposit zone (in this case, the defect in the part to be repaired).

Objectives and lines of action.

ATOMCESS will develop this deposition technology and will start with innovative steel powders, to be produced by different atomization techniques, with the necessary characteristics to be used in advanced repair. Waste and scrap steel of various grades is converted into new raw materials with higher added value. Repair will focus on the recovery of high value-added parts (e.g., large stainless-steel pipes, valves and flanges used in the oil and gas sector).

The project will be completed with a Life Cycle Assessment, which is particularly important in energy-intensive technologies such as metal production and processing.

Execution and financing.

WINOA IBERICA is leading the ATOMCESS project, with the cooperation of steel parts manufacturing companies such as TUBACEX and AMPO. The final demonstration of the materials developed will be carried out on their defective parts. The CEIT Technological Center (member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance, BRTA) helps with the necessary technological developments, and ZICLA is also involved.

Funding

The project has been supported by the Basque Government’s Circular Ecoinnovation Grant Program, and managed by IHOBE the Basque Government’s public company from the Environmental Management in its 2021 call for proposals, which is financed with ERDF funds.