TopologX was founded by Pedro Sterken and Hans Ingeveld and participated in Brightlands Innovation Factory. Pedro explains the innovation of TopologX: “We process scrap metal directly into metal powder for use in 3D printing. We bring the waste stream closer to the production stream. Just imagine: an industrial site where one production facility converts all the scrap metal into metal powder, rather than having several trucks arrive and leave every day. This saves on transport, storage space, transport volume and energy. It creates a first step towards a circular production process. It’s sustainable and cost-effective.”
3D printing (additive manufacturing) is the process of creating objects from 3D model data. Building them up layer by layer allows complex objects to be produced. Additive manufacturing is in sectors such as the industry, retail, automotive, aerospace, and the medical world. 3D printed objects can be made from various materials, including metals.
“TopologX does not consider scrap metal as a waste product,“ Pedro explains. “Instead, it’s an opportunity to recover the original metal alloy by means of cleaning. The machining process creates the object and scrap. TopologX shows that you can retain value by cleaning the chippings and converting them into powder. We are now looking for companies that process titanium and where the TopologX system creates added value. We provide the system plus consultancy. The repeatability and reproducibility of the correct material quality is the basis of a controlled additive manufacturing process. TopologX views everything that deviates from this norm as waste and strives to achieve zero waste. A controlled additive manufacturing process is achieved by handling materials smartly, but also by handling the other processes smartly. We advise on this.”
Why Brightlands Chemelot Campus?
Pedro explains why TopologX started at Brightlands Chemelot Campus: “The company Xilloc was already here, and we followed them. Xilloc is a 3D printing specialist that can create or develop just about anything that a customer would need. They work with a 3D printer in which the metal powder from TopologX is used. TopologX helps Xilloc to handle materials efficiently. For the future: our system is valuable for all major machining companies, from aerospace to automotive.”
Ecosystem
Pedro and Hans both emphasize that, for every company on the campus, it pays off to present yourself as vulnerable, to openly question: what can we mean for each other, who can help me along to resolve this issue, who can benefit from applying my innovation? Organizations of any size can benefit from each other’s knowledge, both inside and outside the campus. Hans explains: “Once contact has been made, anything is possible. This includes working with major companies. Because if you strike up a conversation in the Brightlands restaurant, that may just happen to be someone from a company like SABIC, and you might be able to make an appointment with them. Or you can think about a new application for a problem together.” One tip from Hans for Brightlands: “It can be difficult to keep up with the constant changes at the campus and within Brightlands. But those are probably the result of the phase Brightlands itself is in now; the learning organization. And that is a valuable phase. My advice is: hold on to that, never become the establishment!”
TopologX now and in the future
Pedro explains: “For now TopologX has really found its place here; TopologX has shown that it is flexible and can use chippings to produce powder for additive manufacturing on a small scale. To finalize our business case, allowing us to start up our own production facility, we are looking for commitment from companies with metal printers that want to increase productivity from additive manufacturing. For the future, we see things on a larger scale; I can see TopologX next to a major machining company, with us converting those chippings into powder for additive manufacturing, as we already did with Mayfran from Landgraaf. With a little imagination, one can think of a process that does not end up in a garbage bin, like now, but in TopologX’s black box, with us converting the chippings into powder.”
In short, TopologX is ready for a promising future and proves this with a variety of current projects, partly set up due to their presence at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus.
Contact
Pedro Sterken
pedro.sterken@topologx.com
