AM 4 AM collaborates with French R&D firm Pint to additively manufacture HiPerAl aluminium alloy components

All the global additive manufacturing advancements were on display during the international exhibition, Formnext 2022. Amidst everything, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Luxembourg-based AM 4 AM and R&D solutions provider Pint, France.

A proposal was designed that the companies would together create prototypes made of HiPerAl, AM 4 AM’s flagship high-strength aluminium alloy designated for laser-induced additive manufacturing processes.

The CEO and founder of AM 4 AM, Maxime Delmée, exemplified: “With the release of HiperAl this end of the year, we were looking for a partner to complete the entire value chain from customers ideas to the final prototypes. Pint, with their expertise in processing uncommon materials, attracts our attention, and we recognise their competencies to develop prototypes with properties that fit perfectly our customers’ needs. We are extremely satisfied to be able to propose to our customers best-in-class services to realise their project with our HiperAl.”

The president of Pint, Paul Didier, notified: “We are very happy to collaborate with AM 4 AM. The innovative aspect of the functionalisation process of their powder, allowing them to obtain high-level mechanical characteristics, is in total adequacy with the approach of Pint. Indeed, we are working on the development of advanced mechanical components, relying in particular on the elaboration and the use of innovative alloys with higher properties.”

After three years of rigorous research and development, in October 2022, AM 4 AM came up with its first material, HiPerAl. The aluminium alloy has been especially discovered for use in the aviation, space and automotive industry. It has a negligible weight which makes it perfect for lightweight aluminium components often used in vehicles and other high-precision end-user products. AM 4 AM has developed this particular aluminium alloy through its atmospheric and cold plasma technology, which the company is proud of and claims will yield more such components in the foreseeable future.

When used to make specialised components, the HiPerAl material does not produce cracks retaining the smooth, machine-made gloss of a product. The partner firm, Pint, on the other hand, excels in Research and Development programmes related to additive manufacturing processes.

The collaboration is estimated to manufacture and display its primary batch of products in the first quarter of 2023.