Sun Metalon, a Japanese company with U.S. offices now based in Chicago, utilizes an oven-sized chamber to transform metal waste sludge into purified metal pucks that can be recycled back into steel, aluminum, or other metals. Steel and aluminum waste sludges are toxic and costly to landfill. This new process will lower those costs by recycling that waste stream. Most steel and aluminum are already made from recycled metal rather than raw ore. This new process will increase that amount. Sun Metalon notes that up to 20% of metal is lost during manufacturing, and recovering that metal to be reused in original or other processes can add significant value. Any industry that uses these metals, such as automotive and heavy equipment manufacturing, can benefit from the process. The process is referred to as a “non-binder-based sinter technology.” Die casting, metal casting, and machining operations can benefit from the process. Sun Metalon’s equipment is modular and compact, which makes it easy to integrate into existing manufacturing plants.
According to 3DPrint.com, the
process utilizes:
“…an electromagnetic field to concentrate energy, coupled
with a unique “booster material” that accelerates recycling and refining
processes while enhancing energy efficiency.”
Canary Media wrote about the
process and talked with Sun Metalon’s CEO:
“Sun Metalon CEO and co-founder Kazuhiko Nishioka said
he got the idea for the technology while working at Nippon Steel and studying
for a PhD at Northwestern University near Chicago with Nippon’s support. In
2021, he and two colleagues at Nippon founded the company as they did DIY
experiments to clean up tiny scraps too contaminated with oil or other
substances to be recycled.”
“They received two patents on the heating technology in
2024. Sun Metalon’s units are modular “ovens” that
can be placed on a factory or foundry floor; the metal waste fed into them is
basically cleaned with intense heat and turned into “pucks” or “coins” that
can be recycled in metal-making processes.”
“We apply our heating, evaporate fluids, condense
[impurities] back to liquid, and collect it,” explained Nishioka, noting the
process involves reaching the boiling point of oil. The whole thing is powered
by electricity, making it carbon-free if renewable energy is available.
“Sometimes scrap has a negative value, especially for sludges — no one can recycle it, so they have to pay for disposal,” he said. “We can bring it up to best or second best” in the value chain of recycled metal feedstock. “Then the profit can be shared among customers.”
The process has several
decarbonization advantages: less waste to transport as it can be reused onsite,
more efficient use of available resources, fewer new resources to bring in,
environmental impact reduction, and supply chain efficiency improvement.
The dry briquettes are shown below for the different metals. Copper and nickel alloys can also result from the process.
Toyota and the construction
equipment manufacturer Komatsu have the equipment installed, tested it in their
facilities, and are working with Sun Metalon to scale up the technology.
Komatsu produces about 150 tons of waste sludge from polishing, “a
difficult-to-handle mixture of fine metal particles, oil, and water.”
Canary Media also reported:
“The Recycled Materials Association, a trade group that
represents metal recycling, noted that over 70% of steel and 80% of aluminum in
the U.S. is made from recycled material.”
“Compared to the processsing and transportation needed
for mining, drilling, harvesting, or other methods of extracting natural
resources for manufacturing, the use of recycled materials typically produces
fewer greenhouse gas emissions,” Rachel Bookman, a spokesperson for the
organization, said by email.
Canary also presented the CEO’s
vision for the technology:
“Nishioka said the technology could be useful
for “automotive and aerospace, construction machinery, any product using
metal,” adding that he plans to pitch to steel mills and foundries in the
Midwest and South.”
“Any process melting metal can benefit,” he
continued, “either companies that are melting
metal or companies purchasing from those companies.”
“Nishioka imagines that with more innovation, the modular
technology could be used not only to prepare metal for recycling but to
actually create metal products.
“He’s also hopeful that new industrial processes could spur
manufacturing in developing nations, an idea inspired by his time volunteering
in Kenya as an undergraduate student.
“My original vision was to bring compact steelmaking
processes into a couple different boxes,” he said. “We can
bring those boxes wherever we want. It could be in Africa, or on Mars.”
The technology transforms low‑value swarf into pristine,
high‑value
metal. Transforming stainless steel polishing sludge is one application.
Another is transforming metal chips and lathe turnings. Another is transforming
swarf, which is small chips and flakes from roll mills and grinding operations
that contain water or oil-based lubricants. This waste cannot be returned
directly back into melting furnaces. The new process can change that, resulting
in a product of dry briquettes of known alloy composition. According to the
mid-2023 announcement of a joint venture with Toyota:
“The company is developing a breakthrough metal additive
manufacturing technology based on a new principle that enables ultra-high
efficient heating resulting in up to 500 times faster speed and cost reductions
of 90%. The company core technology also enables high efficient metal recycling
applications.”
Once this technology is fully
tested, it may become standard in metals manufacturing, resulting in
significant cost and emissions reductions and lower environmental impacts. It
is another valuable link in the chain of the circular metals economy. The
remaining challenges to this technology include high initial costs and further
commercial validation.
References:
Researchers
invent new oven-sized device that transforms toxic sludge into valuable
material: 'The profit can be shared'. Christine Dulion. The Cool Down. July 7,
2025. Researchers
invent new oven-sized device that transforms toxic sludge into valuable
material: 'The profit can be shared'
This
startup turns steel and aluminum waste into usable metals. Kari Lydersen. Canary
Media. June 9, 2025. This
startup turns steel and aluminum waste into… | Canary Media
The
future of metal recycling. Sun Metalon. Turn
your metal waste into revenue – Sun Metalon
Sun
Metalon Secures $21M to Accelerate Circular Economy in Metal Manufacturing.
Sangmin "Simon" Lee. 3DPrint.com. October 3, 2024. Sun
Metalon Secures $21M to Accelerate Circular Economy in Metal Manufacturing -
3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing
Sun
Metalon Inc. and Toyota Motor Corporation Jointly Develop New Innovative
Aluminum Recycling Process. Sun Metalon. May 30, 2023. Turn
your metal waste into revenue – Sun Metalon
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