Materialise NV (Nasdaq: MTLS), a Belgian company specializing in additive manufacturing (AM) software and production services, has unveiled three new CO-AM solutions and automation tools as part of its open and secure software ecosystem strategy. The announcement represents a key step in improving workflow interoperability and scaling industrial 3D printing operations.
The Belgian firm introduced CO-AM Professional, CO-AM NPI, and CO-AM Enterprise, each powered by two new enabling technologies—CO-AM Brix and CO-AM Build Platform. These systems are designed to enhance automation, quality assurance, and traceability across production environments. The company also revealed its Next-Generation Build Processor framework, now featuring a fully open, modular architecture that allows manufacturers to integrate external tools, validated OEM processors, or custom strategies directly into their workflows.
Udo Eberlein, Vice President of Software at Materialise, said the expansion reflects a manufacturing-oriented approach to industrialization. “Industrializing additive manufacturing isn’t a software problem or a hardware problem; it’s a manufacturing problem,” he said. “It requires understanding the complete workflow, the real constraints, and the practical trade-offs that production teams face every day. We’re tailoring our offerings to meet the specific needs of the market, from standard to the most advanced users, bringing NPI and Enterprise solutions to help them scale AM with confidence.”
CO-AM Professional automates workflows and maintains part traceability for high-mix, low-volume manufacturing. Integrated with Magics software and hosted in the cloud, it unifies data and platform preparation to preserve a single, traceable source of truth throughout production. CO-AM NPI focuses on new product introduction and qualification, combining Brix-based toolpath optimization with build-preparation engineering. The system tunes scan strategies to shorten build times, lower cost per part, and lock validated process parameters for certification. CO-AM Enterprise extends these capabilities to full production execution and order management, linking real-time shop-floor data and quality documentation to support compliant, repeatable manufacturing across multiple facilities.
Each configuration is supported by the company’s professional services division, which assists users in designing and deploying tailored solutions. “CO-AM is not an off-the-shelf system,” Eberlein said. “It’s a configurable orchestration layer that integrates into each manufacturer’s environment, connecting every user, every application, and every machine.”
CO-AM Brix serves as the core automation technology within this ecosystem. The low-code, node-based system enables users to design and execute workflows visually. It builds on the Magics SDK strategy announced in 2024, incorporating more than 800 algorithms from the firm’s Magics, Build Processor, and 3-matic SDK suites. These can be combined with external software libraries to create hybrid automation pipelines extending beyond proprietary tools.
CO-AM Build Platform adds a cloud-based visual editor for part layout, platform preparation, and revision management. Automated workflows designed in Brix can run directly from the platform, while interactive projects open in Magics with full version tracking. The environment supports interoperability with third-party build-preparation systems, allowing flexibility for heterogeneous machine fleets.
The Next-Generation Build Processor framework introduces a modular design that supports OEM processors, internal configurations, or fully customized variants created through the Build Processor SDK. These can be executed through Magics, external CAD applications, 3MF workflows, or directly from CO-AM, providing consistent process control and qualified strategy deployment across multiple sites.
To promote data interoperability, the Leuven-based software developer is collaborating with Leading Minds consortium, an industry group of AM software and hardware developers focused on data standardization. Together they have released an open domain model defining shared AM entities such as Part, Build, Material Lot, Machine, Parameter Set, Telemetry, Quality, and Genealogy. The model aligns with ISO/ASTM 529xx, 3MF, OPC UA, and QIF standards, forming the foundation of CO-AM’s data architecture. By establishing a common schema for AM operations, the consortium aims to reduce integration friction and support compatibility testing across partner ecosystems.
The expanded software suite will be presented at Formnext 2025 in Frankfurt, where the Belgian manufacturer plans to demonstrate CO-AM Brix, CO-AM Build Platform, and three new metal NxG Build Processors. Live demonstrations will take place in Hall 12.1, Booth C139.
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Featured image shows CO-AM NPI, powered by CO-AM Brix, automates and optimizes additive manufacturing workflows for faster, repeatable product launches. Image via Materialise.
