Home / AM Industry / Continuum Powders and Mastrex partner for LPBF metal powder validation 3D Printer Hardware 3D Printing Processes 3D Printing Service Providers Acquisitions, Mergers & Partnerships AM Industry Continuum Powders and Mastrex partner for LPBF metal powder validation Collaboration will target faster material qualification across Mastrex's MX series systems Joseph Caron-Dawe August 18, 2026 1 minute read Stay up to date with everything that is happening in the wonderful world of AM via our LinkedIn community. Continuum Powders and Mastrex have entered a technical collaboration to evaluate, develop processing parameters for, and validate Continuum’s metal powders across Mastrex’s MX series laser powder bed fusion machines . The end goal of the work is to shorten the time manufacturers spend qualifying new materials before moving parts into production. California-based Continuum supplies metal powders for additive manufacturing and Mastrex, headquartered in Houston, develops LPBF systems. Together, the companies are now planning to combine materials expertise with machine development and simplify the path from powder selection to production. The aim is to give customers more confidence when implementing new materials. “One of the biggest barriers to broader adoption of additive manufacturing isn’t a lack of innovation—it’s reducing the effort required for customers to confidently implement new materials and technologies,” said Jon Cozens, Chief Executive Officer of Continuum Powders. “By working closely with Mastrex from the beginning, we’re helping create a more seamless path from material selection and process development to successful production. Ultimately, our shared goal is to give customers greater confidence in the complete manufacturing solution, not just the powder.” Ilay Fridland, Partner for Mastrex, said, “Mastrex entered the market with the aim of providing high-quality LPBF technology while at the same time lowering the barrier of entry. “Customers are looking for complete manufacturing solutions, not disconnected pieces of the process. Collaborating closely with Continuum allows us to optimize materials alongside our LPBF platforms, helping customers adopt new applications with greater confidence while reducing development effort.” Initial work will focus on cobalt chrome, Ti-6Al-4V and 17-4 stainless steel, with nickel-based superalloys and copper-nickel alloys planned further down the line, as the partnership expands. The companies will assess powder behavior, processing conditions, build consistency and material performance on applicable Mastrex systems, with the aim of delivering starting parameters and technical data that reduce the resources needed to introduce a new material. “The future of additive manufacturing depends on strong collaboration across the industry,” Cozens said. “Success isn’t determined by great hardware or great materials alone.