Technology
Velocity, not heat
Traditional metal 3D printing melts powder with a laser. Melting changes material properties—grain structure, residual stress, and consistency can suffer. Cold spray skips melting entirely: we accelerate metal particles so fast that they bond by impact. The result is dense, strong deposits without the thermal damage of laser or welding.
Our system brings that principle to additive manufacturing—building and repairing metal parts layer by layer, with a device we built for under $5,000 (compared to over $1M for typical metal AM systems).
How it works
High-pressure nitrogen is heated to about 450°C (842°F) to raise gas velocity. The gas and metal powder meet in a custom nozzle; the flow expands and cools rapidly, so the particles never melt. The temperature only makes the gas faster—that momentum is what drives the powder onto the substrate and bonds it.
Key components:
- Gas supply & pressure vessel — Heated nitrogen feeds the nozzle at controlled pressure and temperature.
- Powder feeder — Meters metal powder into the gas stream at a precise rate.
- Nozzle — Proprietary design; we developed new processes to manufacture it in-house.
- Controls & monitoring — Valves, sensors, and wireless operation, with a strict safety hierarchy and multi-stage data logging. No one is allowed in the room during a run.
Why cold spray
- Add material, then finish — Unlike welding or machining alone, you can add metal where it’s missing, then machine back to spec. No melting means more uniform material properties.
- Repair and one-offs — Complex or obsolete parts for industrial lines, vehicles, and aircraft can be rebuilt or repaired on demand.
- Supply chain resilience — Industries like automotive, oil and gas, and defense lose millions to disruptions; cold spray offers a compact, lower-cost alternative for making or fixing metal parts locally.