EPoS’ electro sinter forging (ESF) technology uses loose binder less powders that are inserted into an automatic dosing system or manually inserted in a mold. The automatic procedure then applies a pre-pressure onto the powders to guarantee electrical contact, superimposing an intense electromagnetic pulse with a mechanical pulse. According to the company, the two pulses last 30 to 100 ms and, after a brief holding time, the sintered component is extracted by the lower plunger and pushed out by the extractor to leave room for the next sintering.
EPoS says that the process can be used with a variety of materials, including iron aloys, hardmetals and precious alloys to make parts for automotive and biomedical applications.
The company plans to use the funding to hire new employs, build an industrial-scale ESFpress and begin the commercialization of components and materials. It aims for the new machine to achieve a productivity of one part every five seconds and to double the size of the components that can be manufactured.
“We are finally close to seeing the first industrial grade electro-sinter-forging machine to produce novel parts and showcase what electrification can do when applied to powder technologies,” said Alessandro Fais, EPoS CEO and founder. “We are on the brink of a breakthrough that will have a profound impact on the manufacturing world and how new materials and components are developed.”
“We believe that, with their leading-edge technology and the highly skilled team, EPoS has the potential to become an indispensable and invaluable partner to key players in various industries,” said Christophe Fragnière group president of Nivalis, which led the funding round.
