6K Additive and Cumberland Additive Announce Partnership and Sign Long Term Supply Agreement for Nickel 718

The high-quality, domestically sourced Ni718 powder from 6K Additive will be used in Cumberland's manufacturing facilities to print AM metal components for strategic industrial customers 

PITTSBURGH, May 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 6K Additive, a leader in the sustainable production of materials for additive manufacturing and Cumberland Additive (CAI), a trusted AM leader that manufactures serial production parts for strategic applications, today announced a partnership that includes a long term agreement (LTA) where 6K Additive will supply CAI with Ni718 powder. The LTA also calls for expansion to supply an additional volume of nickel powder as well as additional alloys to support CAI's rapidly expanding production requirements.

"Our customer base continues to expand, and we need to ensure not only the quality of the powder but also a reliable supply chain that we can be 100% confident we can meet our manufacturing demand," said Tim Blaisdell, Chief Strategy Officer for CAI. "We've worked with the team at 6K Additive over the past 12 months and they have consistently proven to be a reliable partner. Key to our military and defense customer requirements, 6K Additive is a domestic supplier offering sustainably sourced feedstock making this the ideal partnership."

6K Additive President Frank Roberts added, "We are excited about the partnership with Tim and the team at CAI. As our capacity and capabilities increase, we need to align ourselves with growing organizations like CAI to ensure their strategic AM customers' goals and needs are met. Securing long-term agreements allows our operation to forecast, plan, and ultimately produce powder at volumes that meet market demands. The LTA with CAI helps our operational efficiencies and builds long-term partnerships that provide mutual success."

Cumberland Additive is a trusted leader in the AM industry, offering series production of parts and engineering design services in both metals and polymer materials using multiple AM technologies including powder bed fusion technology. With locations in Pflugerville and Pittsburgh, Cumberland provides AM service for customers in major markets such as aerospace, defense, space, energy, and industrial.

6K Additive is the world's first producer of AM metal powder made from sustainable sources and offers a full suite of premium powder including nickel, titanium, copper, stainless steel, aluminum alloys, and refractory metals such as tungsten and rhenium. 6K's proprietary UniMelt^® system is the world's only microwave production-scale plasma system, with a highly uniform and precise plasma zone with zero contamination and high throughput production capabilities. The UniMelt process produces powders that are truly spherical, void of porosity, and satellites with better flowability than other processes. Companies interested in working with 6K Additive regarding their specific powder requirements are urged to visit 6K Additive's website 6KAdditive.com

Notes for Editors

6K press releases are available here: https://www.6kinc.com/about/news/

About 6K

With sustainability at its core, 6K has developed UniMelt®, a proprietary advanced microwave plasma production system, to transform engineered materials into revolutionary products that advance industries across additive manufacturing, renewable energy, aerospace, consumer electronics, and more. 6K represents 6000 degrees, both the temperature of the operation of UniMelt®, the world's only microwave production scale plasma system, and the temperature of the sun's surface. 6K was founded in North Andover, Massachusetts.

The 6K Energy division is focused on the production of low-cost, sustainable, and domestically produced battery material accelerating the pace of battery production and adoption of electric vehicles. The 6K Additive division specializes in sustainably sourced, AM metal powders production and reclamation, using a proprietary milling and cleaning process that ensures contamination-free, high-quality powders. For more information, visit www.6Kinc.com. 

About Cumberland Additive, Inc.

Cumberland Additive, Inc. began as Directed Manufacturing, Inc. in 2006. The company achieved steady growth throughout multiple markets, expanding manufacturing capabilities from polymer prototyping to serial production of metals and polymers on mid and large-format printers. Under new ownership as of May 31, 2019, Cumberland Additive is showcasing our expertise in additive manufacturing, providing engineering services and turn-key production using Powder Bed Fusion Technology in metals and advanced polymers. Cumberland is advancing 3D Printing by building trust with our partners through proven additive manufacturing experience, and a laser focus on technical data that is supported by repeatable quality and on-time delivery. Learn more at CumberlandAdditive.com.