Additive manufacturing depends on high-value metal powders. Materials like titanium, Inconel, stainless steel, cobalt alloys, and aluminum form the backbone of aerospace, medical, and energy applications. But these powders are expensive to produce, and any waste can quickly drive up costs. That’s why recycling and recovering metal powders has become essential for keeping additive workflows both efficient and profitable.

Why Recycle Metal Powders?

Every build cycle generates leftover powder. Whether due to oversize particles, fused clusters, or unused feedstock, the material must be carefully recycled before it can be reintroduced into production. The challenge lies in maintaining:

• Tight particle size distributions (commonly 45 µm, 63 µm, or finer)
• Consistent flowability for powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition
• Clean, contamination-free powders ready for demanding industries
• Recycling powders the right way turns unused material into cost savings while supporting sustainability goals across manufacturing.

The Hi-Sifter Advantage in Metal Powder Recovery

The Hi-Sifter from Elcan Industries is the leading solution for recycling high-value metal powders. Unlike traditional vibratory or ultrasonic sieves that clog easily, the Hi-Sifter uses a vertical high-energy motion that keeps powders in constant movement on the mesh surface. This prevents blinding and allows precise separations down to 10 microns.

For even finer needs, Elcan’s Elbow-Jet Air Classifier can classify powders as fine as 0.5 microns, using airflow alone to protect powder purity.

Why this matters for additive manufacturing:

• Consistent PSD for titanium, Inconel, and stainless steel feedstock
• Reduced waste by recovering powders that meet tight specifications
• Faster changeovers, helping manufacturers adapt across multiple alloys
• Stainless steel construction designed for high-value powders

With the Hi-Sifter, companies reclaim more usable powder, lower material costs, and protect the performance standards required for critical industries.

Best Sieving Machines to Recycle Metal Powders

Here are five of the top options for recycling and recovering additive manufacturing powders:

1. Elcan’s Hi-Sifter Sieve AM Recycle Box

The Hi-Sifter is purpose-built for fine powder separation. It achieves separations down to 10 microns without relying on ultrasonics and maintains steady performance even with reactive or difficult-to-handle materials like titanium. Because the screens do not blind, the Hi-Sifter excels where other sieves fall short, producing uniform powders that meet additive manufacturing standards.

Key Points:

• High-energy vertical motion keeps screens from blinding
• Precise separations down to 10 µm, with classification as fine as 0.5 µm using Elbow-Jet
• Fast screen changeovers in under 15 minutes
• Built for high-value powders like titanium, Inconel, and stainless steel

Contact Info:

Website: https://www.elcanindustries.com
Email: info@elcanindustries.com
Phone: +1 (914) 381-7500

2. Farleygreene Sievgen AM Sieving Unit

The Sievgen AM is designed specifically for additive manufacturing environments. With its enclosed design and optional inert atmosphere controls, it handles reactive powders like titanium safely while maintaining high throughput. Its integration capabilities make it a strong option for closed-loop powder recovery systems.

Key Points:

Engineered specifically for AM powder recovery

Enclosed and inert-gas options for reactive powders

Compact footprint for direct integration with printers and hoppers

Contact Info:

Website: www.farleygreene.com
Email: sales@farleygreene.com
Phone: +44 (0) 1256 474 547

3. Gough Vibrecon Compact Recycle Unit

Gough’s compact recycling units adapt their vibratory separator technology into smaller systems suitable for AM powder management. These systems offer simple operation, consistent results, and rugged design for continuous recycling.

Key Points:

• Compact version designed for additive powder recovery
• Adjustable vibration to suit different powder flow characteristics
• Durable construction for industrial environments

Contact Info:

Website: www.goughengineering.com
Email: sales@goughengineering.com
Phone: +44 (0) 1782 567 770

4. REMET Powder Handling and Sieving Systems

REMET designs powder handling solutions tailored for additive manufacturing. Their integrated sieving modules fit inside recycle loops and allow operators to safely recover and reuse AM powders such as stainless steel, Inconel, and titanium.

Key Points:

• Designed specifically for AM powder handling and recovery
• Modular systems that include sieving, transfer, and containment
• Suitable for multiple alloys including reactive powders

Contact Info:

Website: www.remet.com
Email: info@remet.com
Phone: +1 (315) 797-8700

5. Hosokawa Micron Labwizz / AM Sieving Solutions

Hosokawa offers compact sieving and powder handling systems designed for AM lab and production environments. Their enclosed systems maintain powder quality while keeping operators safe from exposure to fine metal powders.

Key Points:

• Compact sieving systems for lab and production-scale AM
• Enclosed designs for safety and powder containment
• Suitable for titanium, aluminum, and stainless steel AM powders

Contact Info:

Website: www.hosokawa.com
Email: info@hosokawa.com
Phone: +1 (908) 273-6360

As additive manufacturing continues to grow, the importance of closed-loop powder recycle systems cannot be overstated. Recovering high-value powders like titanium, Inconel, stainless steel, and aluminum keeps production costs under control and ensures consistent part quality. While several machines exist for this purpose, the Hi-Sifter from Elcan Industries sets the benchmark by delivering sharp cuts down to 10 microns, preventing mesh blinding, and integrating seamlessly into recycle setups. By investing in the right powder recycling equipment, manufacturers strengthen their supply chain, reduce waste, and unlock the full economic potential of additive manufacturing.