Siemens Energy and 6K Additive Close Long-Term Deal: 20 Tons of Recycled Nickel Powder Already Processed

A Circular Economy Milestone for Metal AM

Siemens Energy and 6K Additive have signed a global long-term supply agreement that could reshape how the additive manufacturing industry thinks about material sustainability. Under the deal, Siemens Energy will supply spent nickel alloy powder from its AM facilities to 6K Additive, which will process it through its proprietary UniMelt microwave plasma production system.

To date, 6K Additive has already processed close to 20 tons of nickel superalloy powder originating from Siemens Energy. The resulting material has been supplied into the broader additive manufacturing market, demonstrating that industrial revert materials can be effectively upcycled into high-quality AM-ready powders.

Why This Matters

Nickel-based superalloys are among the most expensive and strategically important materials in metal additive manufacturing. They are used extensively in aerospace, energy, and turbomachinery applications where components must withstand extreme temperatures and stresses.

Traditionally, used powder from production—so-called "revert material"—often ends up in low-value recycling streams. The Siemens Energy/6K Additive collaboration changes that equation by converting what would be waste into virgin-quality metal powder suitable for demanding AM applications.

The UniMelt Process

6K Additive's UniMelt system uses microwave plasma technology to produce spherical metal powders with precise control over particle size distribution and morphology. When processing recycled feedstock, the system can restore the material to AM-ready specifications while significantly reducing the environmental footprint compared to producing powder from virgin ore.

A 2022 Life Cycle Assessment by sustainability consultancy Foresight Management found that 6K Additive's UniMelt process reduces carbon emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional powder production methods.

Strategic Implications for the Industry

Steve Sarcander, Head of Additive Manufacturing at Siemens Energy, emphasized that "sustainability and responsible resource use are integral to how we approach advanced manufacturing."

For the broader metal AM ecosystem, this agreement demonstrates a viable pathway for:

• Supply chain resilience — reducing dependency on primary material sources
• Cost efficiency — reclaimed powder typically costs less than virgin material
• Environmental compliance — meeting increasingly stringent sustainability requirements
• Circularity — closing the loop on material lifecycles in industrial production

What This Means for You

While this agreement operates at an industrial scale, its implications trickle down to the entire AM ecosystem. As metal powder recycling becomes more standardized and cost-effective, we can expect:

• More competitive pricing on recycled metal powders
• Greater availability of specialty alloys
• Improved sustainability credentials for AM-produced parts
• Potential regulatory incentives for using recycled materials

The Siemens Energy/6K Additive partnership is a significant step toward making metal AM truly sustainable—and it proves that circular economy principles can work at scale in additive manufacturing.