Two new 3D printing facilities were opened today.
Henkel, a chemical and consumer goods company based in Germany, has announced today the opening of its new Research and Development 3D printing center in Tallaght, Ireland.
The Innovation and Interaction Centre for Additive Manufacturing will now facilitate training, testing, demonstrations, and presentations for a variety of 3D printing solutions.
“The cluster of leading med-tech, aerospace and other industries using 3D printing, made Ireland a natural choice to create a regional hub for Europe,” said Dr. Matthew Holloway, Henkel Technology Centre Director.
Henkel Ireland invites additive manufacturing
Supported by the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) Ireland, an agency specializing in foreign direct investments, this center is based on a four-year investment plan with a budget of €18 million to grow Henkel’s R&D capabilities, application, and product development.
Henkel, who is responsible for producing adhesive brands such as Sellotape, Locktite, and Super Glue, will further step into the space of additive manufacturing as the Innovation and Interaction Centre will support engineers and scientists as they develop new advanced materials for use in industrial manufacturing.
The new 700 square meter facility currently comprises of laboratories, customer service offices, meeting rooms, as well as 3D printing equipment.
Marky Buckley, Executive Director of IDA Ireland stated that this investment “presents a fantastic opportunity for Ireland to enhance our global reputation in R&D and novel technologies.”
Henkel plans to expand the Innovation and Interaction Centre for Additive Manufacturing over the next two years to 2000 square meters by including an additional five laboratories, workstations, and meeting spaces.
3D printing beginnings
Henkel formerly announced plans to open the Innovation and Interaction Centre for Additive Manufacturing late last year with the intentions of developing innovative and accelerated manufacturing methods for its range of adhesive products.
Prior to this, Henkel became the first global reseller of HP’s Multi Jet Fusion systems and broadened its works within SLA and DLP 3D printing by developing customized bio-based print materials.
Now, Henkel has three sites in Ireland including its Tallaght facility. The two established sites are manufacturing facilities based in Ballyfermot, Dublin, and at Little Island, Cork City.
Dr. Michael Todd, global head of innovation at Henkel Adhesive Technologies, said: “The opening of the innovation and interaction center strengthens Henkel’s operations in Ireland and will bring customers and strategic partners to what is now an extremely important European regional hub for the business.
“Additive manufacturing has the potential to change value chains and businesses across many industries. As such, Henkel is convinced that this is the market to get involved with next.
LPW Technology opens AM metal powder manufacturing facility in Cheshire
Similarly, to advance the production of 3D printed parts for applications such as aerospace, automotive and biomedical industries, LPW Technology, a UK based metal powder manufacturer, has recently opened a metal powder production facility in Halton, Cheshire.
The £20 million facility covers an estimated 9700 square meters and is said to be the first metal powder production facility dedicated to additive manufacturing, according to LPW Technology.
The factory includes a range of powder testing equipment and 3D printers to advance the innovations in materials for AM. The portfolio includes atomizers, which melt metal feedstock, a variety of metal powders, and industry 4.0 process software, such as LPW Technology’s PowderSolve.
“As LPW moves confidently into this next stage of our growth plan, we place immense value on our exceptional employees who are making this possible,” said Dr. Phil Carroll, founder, and CEO of LPW Technology.
“I’m extremely grateful for the support received from Halton Borough Council and the UK Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI). To be part of a UK-based manufacturer helping to realize the potential of 3D printing in applications across the world makes me incredibly proud.”
This production facility will accompany the R&D facility located in the internationally recognized Daresbury Laboratory in Cheshire, which was opened in 2016.
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Featured image shows LPW Technology’s new metal powder production facility in Halton, Cheshire.
