Built to Lead: Kennametal’s Additive Breakthrough Powers Innovation for Major Oil & Gas Customer

Kennametal’s additive expertise is unlocking new performance for the world’s most demanding Oil & Gas applications.

Why it matters: Innovation leads to significant order of erosion-resistant components for a leading Oil & Gas completions customer.

• These advanced downhole wear resistant components, made possible only by additive manufacturing, deliver new levels of performance, longevity and reliability.

This story is part of our new series, Built to Lead, about how our team is transforming how everyday life is built.

Inside look: Kennametal is leading the way in additive manufacturing for Oil & Gas. Our fully dense, 3D-printed carbide ceramic components solve challenges that traditional methods can’t touch — enabling complex shapes, rapid iteration and superior wear resistance.

“Because of additive, we iterated fast and moved from idea to commercial production—delivering an erosion-resistant solution the customer couldn’t get any other way,” said Jerry Dominguez, Sales Director – Oil & Gas, Hard Rock Drilling, Additive Manufacturing.

The challenge:

• Customer needed an erosion-resistant solution — conventional materials proved too brittle and traditional carbide manufacturing did not meet the customer’s requirements.
• Kennametal’s binder jet additive process enabled a breakthrough geometry, validated by rigorous, application-specific testing.

The solution:

• Fully dense carbide ceramic, 3D-printed for maximum wear resistance.
• Components last longer — even high-risk environments.

This achievement significantly strengthens Kennametal’s position as a trusted supplier of critical components for the Oil & Gas industry, reinforcing our reputation for reliability, innovation and technical excellence. Successfully creating this industry-first additive product and then producing this at scale demonstrates how our binder jet additive technology enables us to meet complex customer needs at volume.

“Ultimately, the project underscores Kennametal’s ongoing leadership in materials science, application engineering and advanced manufacturing,” said Michael Orange, Additive Manufacturing Manager. “We continue to set the standard for what’s possible with additive solutions in demanding applications.”

This breakthrough opens new revenue streams and paves the way for more developments in a mature industry that is hungry for innovation and improved performance.

What’s next:

Kennametal is commercializing this solution including semi-automating production, ensuring robust quality and developing next-gen powder grades. As this technology proves itself in the field, market adoption is expected to accelerate.