Outokumpu announces stainless steel Additive Manufacturing powder for aerospace and aviation applications
May 21, 2025
Having entered the metal powder market for Additive Manufacturing in 2023, Outokumpu, headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, reports that it is now expanding its range to include metal powders for the aerospace and aviation sectors. The company has already delivered the first batch of a new stainless steel powder grade for a unique aerospace application.
The spherical stainless steel powder is refined with specific alloy additives to make it a high-performance austenitic stainless steel powder. The solution is intended as an alternative to nickel-based alloys in highly demanding Additive Manufacturing applications and has been developed to meet customer demand for components in small quantities and with shorter development cycles.
To demonstrate its capabilities, a jointly engineered heat exchanger component has been developed for the aerospace sector, subject to prototype validation. This is said to support the company’s primary focus on producing metal powders that are not yet on the market and are suitable for producing parts for demanding applications.
“Outokumpu is committed to accelerating circular business models for high-tech stainless steel applications,” stated Marten Franz, Head of Metal Powder Business at Outokumpu. “Our go-to-market strategy is to innovate product designs for complex, high-performance geometries for niche applications. While we focus on our expertise in creating new recipes for metal powders, we rely on our ecosystem of 3D printing engineering partners to create end-products according to customer specifications. We are excited to enter the aerospace and aviation industry with our powder solutions.”
Besides producing stainless steel for Additive Manufacturing aerospace and aviation applications, Outokumpu hopes to develop new powder grades to serve a variety of sectors.
“We have been ideating medical-grade powder specifications for the health-tech applications, dedicated to the development of nickel-free materials. Such material grade can also be used in jewellery, such as nickel-free stainless steel earrings or watches. In addition, Outokumpu is working on developing heat-resistant alloys for additively manufactured components such as turbines or for use in power plants,” explained Franz.
