HC Starck, a subsidiary of Masan high-tech Materials Group, is providing tungsten powder and complementary innovation services for additive manufacturing under the starck2print brand. High fluidity and optimized particle size distribution have been reported to make the powders particularly suitable for AM processes, such as electron or laser beam powder bed fusion (PBF-EB and PBF-LB) .

Starck2print powders are produced by reducing tungsten oxide in a hydrogen atmosphere. Since the product is always kept in high purity, this process contributes to a stable quality of production at the customer factory. The company's extensive recycling expertise also allows it to create a closed loop in which tungsten components are recovered from used additive parts and reused as raw materials. “We believe tungsten metal has considerable potential for 3D printing,” said Laura Handy Seyeda, chief executive. Building our brand underlines our expertise and ambition in this area of innovation growth.”

The high specific gravity alloy of tungsten takes advantage of the high density, mechanical damping, high absorption of ionizing radiation and easy processing of the metal. Such alloys are used as mass balance and damping components in aircraft manufacturing, engines and power plants, and as flywheel mass and centrifugal weights in machinery and equipment manufacturing. They are also used in medical technology to shield and focus x-rays and ionizing radiation in measuring equipment. High heat resistance and excellent thermal and electrical conductivity make tungsten-copper alloys suitable for high performance electrical switch contacts, such as radiators in the electrical industry, or as discharge electrodes. In addition, pure tungsten is used in coating industry as crucible material and sputtering target material, as well as heating element and heat shield of high temperature furnace. HC Starck manufactures tungsten metal powders by reducing tungsten oxide in the presence of hydrogen.