ATOMISING SYSTEMS LIMITED

Their core work

Atomising Systems Limited (ASL) is a Sheffield-based SME that designs and builds metal powder atomization equipment and produces specialty metal powders for industrial applications. Their core expertise lies in manufacturing ultra-fine metal powders — specifically Type 8-9 solder pastes used in miniaturized electronics assembly — where particle size and consistency are critical to product performance. In EU projects, they contribute proprietary atomization process knowledge to consortia working on advanced soldering technologies and sustainable powder metallurgy. They sit at the intersection of materials production and electronics manufacturing, supplying the raw powder inputs that enable next-generation PCB assembly techniques such as jet printing and screen printing.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their first H2020 project (FineSol, 2015), ASL's focus was tightly defined: producing ultra-fine Type 8-9 solder powders and integrating them into electronics production lines via jet printing and reflow processes. By 2017, with SUPREME, the scope broadened to general powder metallurgy sustainability — raw material reduction and process flexibility — suggesting a shift from application-specific powder supply toward upstream process optimization across a wider range of powder-based manufacturing. However, SUPREME carries no keywords in the dataset, so this evolution is inferred primarily from the project title and funding scheme rather than confirmed technical descriptors.

ASL appears to be expanding from a niche electronics-focused powder supplier toward a broader role in sustainable and flexible powder metallurgy, which would make them relevant to additive manufacturing and circular materials supply chains — though this signal is based on limited data.

How they like to work

ASL participates exclusively as a consortium partner rather than a project coordinator, indicating they contribute specialist technical capability rather than driving project strategy. With 33 unique partners across 16 countries from just 2 projects, they appear to work in large, diverse consortia — typical of Innovation Actions (IA) targeting industrial-scale demonstrations. This profile suggests they are brought in specifically for their atomization expertise and are comfortable operating as a technical contributor within complex multi-partner arrangements.

Despite only two projects, ASL has built a surprisingly broad network of 33 partners across 16 countries, reflecting the large consortium structure of Innovation Actions. Their geographic footprint spans much of Europe, though their Sheffield base and UK SME status may affect future EU consortium eligibility post-Brexit.

What sets them apart

ASL occupies a rare industrial niche: a small company with direct manufacturing capability in metal powder atomization, specifically at the ultra-fine end of the particle size spectrum (Type 8-9) that most general powder producers do not reach. For consortia working on miniaturized electronics, additive manufacturing, or advanced soldering, ASL offers hands-on production knowledge that academic or large industrial partners typically cannot provide. Their SME status and specialist focus make them a practical industrial validation partner — able to demonstrate feasibility at production-line scale.

Highlights from their portfolio

• FineSol
  A tightly focused Innovation Action where ASL's core atomization technology was central to the project's goal of enabling next-generation miniaturized PCB assembly — one of the clearest examples in the dataset of an SME contributing proprietary manufacturing capability rather than generic research.
• SUPREME
  ASL's largest single EC grant (€579,162) and their entry into the broader powder metallurgy sustainability space, signaling ambition beyond the electronics niche.