LPBF Powder Recycling & Reconditioning Patent Snapshot
The LPBF powder recycling and reconditioning space is a small but expanding field in its Growth stage, with 35 patent families in scope and a 64% rise in recent-window filings; China accounts for the dominant share of jurisdictional coverage. The competitive structure is fragmented, with Ansaldo Energia IP UK Ltd and Jiangsu University jointly leading, while most filers hold only one or two patent records.
Fragmented field co-led by an energy OEM and a Chinese university
Ansaldo Energia IP UK Ltd and Jiangsu University each hold 5 patent records, placing them jointly at the top of the ranking. Nanjing Zhongke Raycham Tech follows with 4 patent records, and RTX Corp and Beijing Power Machinery Institute each hold 2.
The top five filers account for 42% of the ranked applicants visible in this query’ combined total, indicating moderate-to-low concentration: no single organization has established a commanding position, and the majority of ranked applicants hold only a single patent record.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ansaldo Energia IP UK Ltd | 5 | |
| 2 | Jiangsu University | 5 | |
| 3 | Nanjing Zhongke Raycham Laser Technology Co., Ltd. | 4 | |
| 4 | RTX Corp | 2 | |
| 5 | Beijing Power Machinery Institute | 2 | |
| 6 | KUNMING UNIV OF SCI & TECH | 2 | |
| 7 | Zhejiang University of Technology | 1 | |
| 8 | Nanyang Technological University | 1 | |
| 9 | Dongguan Keheng Hand Model Co., Ltd. | 1 | |
| 10 | Suzhou Vocational University (Suzhou Open University) | 1 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Shanghai Jiao Tong University | 1 | |
| 12 | Shenyang Jinghe CNC Technology Development Co., Ltd. | 1 | |
| 13 | Sichuan Yuguang Intelligent Manufacturing Technology Co., Ltd. | 1 | |
| 14 | Shenzhen Yidong Aviation Technology Co., Ltd. | 1 | |
| 15 | CHINA IRON & STEEL RES INST GRP | 1 | |
| 16 | BLT (Shenzhen) Additive Manufacturing Co., Ltd. | 1 | |
| 17 | Geely Automobile Institute (Ningbo) Co., Ltd. | 1 | |
| 18 | Dongguan University of Technology | 1 | |
| 19 | Nanjing Institute of Technology | 1 | |
| 20 | Wuhan Pengze Mechanical Equipment Co., Ltd. | 1 |
The co-leadership of an Italian energy OEM’s IP vehicle (Ansaldo Energia IP UK Ltd) alongside Chinese academic and industrial applicants signals two distinct strategic motivations — industrial quality assurance for aerospace-grade alloys on one side, and process-oriented academic research on the other — creating an opportunity for focused differentiation.
Filing counts for 2024 and 2025 are understated due to publication lag; the apparent easing from the 2023 peak should not be read as a decline in underlying activity. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Activity surged in 2023; powder metallurgy and additive manufacturing dominate the technology mix
Two charts together show that LPBF powder recycling is still expanding on a multi-year basis, with a clear 2023 activity spike, alongside a technology composition that is heavily weighted toward powder metallurgy and additive manufacturing process classes.
Annual filing trend
Filings were negligible before 2019, rose steadily to a plateau of 5 in 2020–2021, then surged to 10 in 2023 — the highest single-year count in evidence. The 2024 and 2025 figures of 6 each are likely understated due to publication lag and should not be interpreted as a reversal. The recent three-year window remains well above the prior three-year window, consistent with the field’s Growth lifecycle stage.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
B22F (Powder metallurgy) and B33Y (Additive manufacturing) together account for the overwhelming majority of IPC classifications, confirming that activity is tightly clustered around core process and materials handling methods. Adjacent classes — B08B (Cleaning), B23K (Welding), B29C (Shaping of plastics), C22C (Alloys), and C23G (Metal surface cleaning) — each appear at very low frequency, marking them as under-served branches relative to the core.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
Determining quality of reused build powder for add…
A method for determining whether build powder is fit for reuse in a laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing (LPBF) process includes constructing a model for determining a Powder Reuse Index indicative of whether build powder is fit for reuse in the LPBF process based upon LPBF process operating parameters. A build design is selected to be built using… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 适用于同步辐射光源的小型选区激光熔化增材装置 | 12 |
| 2 | Method for treatment of metallic powder for select… | 11 |
| 3 | 用于选择性激光熔化的金属粉末的处理方法 | 7 |
| 4 | 一种使用掩膜实现同层异质材料选区激光熔化的增材制造方法 | 6 |
| 5 | 用于大尺寸激光选区熔化设备的补粉与铺粉系统及其控制方法 | 6 |
| 6 | 一种SLM金属3D打印用刮刀 | 4 |
| 7 | 用于激光选区熔化设备的补粉与铺粉系统 | 4 |
| 8 | 一种基轴式SLM金属打印机用的补粉刮粉一体装置 | 4 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
Assignee snapshot from the current evidence set
The applicants below are visible in this query result. Because the evidence set is relatively small, read this section as a directional snapshot rather than a full competitive ranking.
Ansaldo Energia IP UK Ltd
Holds 5 patent records, tied for first. Technology emphasis is on B22F 1 (powder material properties and treatment) and B22F 3 and B22F 9 (compaction and powder production methods), consistent with an energy OEM’s focus on qualifying recycled powder for high-integrity components. GE Vernova (evidenced as a separate applicant with overlapping B22F 1/3/9 focus) holds a complementary position. Ansaldo’s filings span EPO, UK, and US jurisdictions, giving it the broadest Western coverage among ranked applicants.
5 patent recordsJiangsu University
Also holds 5 patent records and is flagged as a new entrant, meaning its activity is concentrated in the recent filing window. Focus is tightly on B22F 10 (additive manufacturing process steps for powder bed fusion) and B33Y 40 (post-processing in additive manufacturing), reflecting process-level research into powder handling within the print cycle rather than standalone reconditioning systems. Filing is domestic (China), so its portfolio presents limited freedom-to-operate risk in Western markets at present.
5 patent recordsFrequently asked questions
The corpus covers 35 patent families in scope. This is a small but growing body of IP, consistent with a field in its early Growth lifecycle stage.
Ansaldo Energia IP UK Ltd and Jiangsu University are jointly ranked first, each with 5 patent records. Nanjing Zhongke Raycham Tech follows with 4 patent records, and RTX Corp and Beijing Power Machinery Institute each hold 2.
The top five filers account for 42% of the ranked applicants visible in this query’ combined total. Most ranked applicants hold only a single patent record, indicating a fragmented field with no visible portfolio holder.
China is by far the leading jurisdiction, with 28 patent records. Europe (EPO), the United Kingdom, and the United States each account for only 3 patent records, and WIPO (PCT) filings total 2, meaning Western IP coverage is thin.
Filings were negligible before 2019, rose to 5 per year in 2020–2021, surged to a peak of 10 in 2023, and recorded 6 in each of 2024 and 2025. The 2024–2025 figures are likely understated due to publication lag. On a multi-year basis, recent-window filings are 64% above the prior window, confirming continued Growth-stage expansion.
The most under-served adjacent branches relative to the visible powder metallurgy and additive manufacturing core are B08B (Cleaning — 3 patent records), and B23K, B29C, C22C, and C23G (each with 2 patent records). Composition-aware alloy reconditioning (C22C) and integrated powder cleaning systems (B08B) represent areas with plausible technical value and low existing IP density.
Built on Patsnap Open Platform
This report’s underlying patent dataset — filings, assignees, technology clusters — is open for developers via MCP and REST API. Free to start, 10,000 credits, no credit card required.
Disclaimer. This page is generated from Patsnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
Nothing on this page constitutes an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate, or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial, investment, or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Any patent, commercial, or strategic decision should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent, legal, and domain professionals. Patsnap makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the information presented.