May 19, 2016 | By Alec
It looks like Additive Industries is back for more. At the beginning of the year, the Dutch startup unveiled their room-filling industrial MetalFAB1 3D printer, an exclusive and revolutionary metal 3D printing system. The company initially only built three commercial models as part of their Beta program, which were all sold out within three months. But the Eindhoven-based startup just could not resist the opportunity to enter the automotive industry, so they will be building another MetalFAB1 3D printer for automotive parts developer GKN Powder Metallurgy.
This remarkable announcement was made at RAPID 2016, the largest trade fair and conference on additive manufacturing and 3D printing in the US. As Additive Industries explained, their 3D printing technology has the ability to meet the globally recognized quality standards for production in the car industry. One of the largest metal 3D printers available, the MetalFAB1 3D printer boasts very high levels of productivity, tons of feedback control options, calibration strategies and optimized use of automated build plates and product handling – perfect for industrial metal 3D printing. What’s more, it’s equipped with four field lasers, a furnace and features build platforms that are 420 x 420 x 400 mm in size.
The ambitious Dutch startup therefore desired to adapt the MetalFAB1 3D printer for automotive series production, but all of their Beta systems were adopted for different purposes. Airbus’ high tech subsidiary Airbus APWorks was the first to purchase a MetalFAB1 system, and was quickly followed by Dutch food technology specialists Kaak Group and by US-based manufacturing company United Grinding Group.
When the opportunity arose to work together with GKN Powder Metallurgy, the world’s leading manufacturer of precision automotive components, Additive Industries therefore decided to re-open their Beta program and build an additional MetalFAB1 Beta system. “For Additive Industries the input from an automotive leader like GKN is a beautiful addition to the other Beta customers from the aerospace and high tech equipment markets. Their unconditional focus on predictability and total cost is an important driver for further integration and optimization”, Co-founder and CEO Daan Kersten explained. Together with GKN, the Dutch startup will now also work to realize highly efficient automotive serial production compliant with ISO/TS 16949 standards. Additive Industries, it seems, is going places.
Posted in 3D Printer Company
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