Outokumpu, the global leader in sustainable stainless steel, entered the metal powder market for additive manufacturing in 2023. In May 2025, the commercial production phase is expanding into the aerospace and aviation industry, as Outokumpu delivers the industry-first batch of a new stainless steel powder grade for a unique 3D printing application. A jointly engineered heat exchange component for the aerospace sector, subject to prototype validation, supports the company’s primary focus on producing metal powders that are not yet on the market and are suitable for companies that use technologies to produce parts for demanding specialty applications.
The spherical stainless steel powder for the aerospace and aviation industry is refined with specific alloy additives to make it a high performance austenitic stainless steel powder. The solution is an alternative to nickel-based alloys in highly demanding 3D printed applications and has been developed to meet the customer requests for components in small quantities and with shorter development cycles.
Courtesy of Outokumpu.