Industrial gases supplier Linde announced plans this week to open a new laboratory dedicated to research on the parameters and behavior of atmospheric gases utilized in metal powder manufacturing.

Slated to open in mid-2022, the location will feature a small-scale version of an atomizer with windows, lighting, high-speed cameras, and schlieren imaging to view and collect data on each gas parameter change. The system uses data from the simulated process to provide evidence of gas behavior under certain conditions. Linde’s miniature atomizer will collect data on gas type, volume of gas, pressure, and temperature, and can quickly switch over to analyze hundreds of combinations in minutes.

“As demand grows for new metal powders, more research into the parameters of the gases which are integral to their manufacture is needed to ensure their role is optimized,” said Pierre Forêt, associate director, additive manufacturing for Linde, in a release. “Linde’s new laboratory will be the only one of its kind and is testament to Linde’s status as the leading authority on gases for additive manufacturing.”

Linde’s facility will allow the company to develop new technologies that will increase the yield and stability of the atomization process. The company intends to collaborate with powder manufacturers and equipment makers to test specific gas behaviors in the small-scale atomizer before scaling up in their own operations.

Researchers will also 3D print and test prototypes of nozzles used to inject specific gases or gas mixtures at the proper temperature and pressure during the atomization process.