Nikon SLM Solutions, a German manufacturer of metal additive manufacturing (AM) systems, has partnered with Swedish visualization and analytics software company Interspectral to create an integrated quality-assurance and process-monitoring solution for industrial production. The collaboration links Interspectral’s AM Explorer software with Nikon SLM Solutions’ open-architecture metal AM platforms, enabling real-time visualization, AI-powered analytics, and data correlation across multiple build parameters. The goal is to help manufacturers accelerate qualification, improve process repeatability, and streamline certification workflows in sectors such as aerospace, energy, and defense.
AM Explorer is Interspectral’s advanced visualization tool for additive-manufacturing data. The software unifies information from machine logs, sensors, simulations, and CT scans to create a comprehensive digital thread from build setup to inspection. Its AI-based analytics layer detects deviations and correlates process data from multiple sources, allowing engineers to identify anomalies faster and perform root-cause analysis with greater precision.
When integrated with Nikon SLM’s multi-laser systems, which feature open-architecture designs supporting multiple sensor and monitoring inputs, the joint platform allows users to benchmark builds and validate process stability in real time. The system has been proven in demanding industrial environments worldwide and is already in use by GKN Aerospace, which employs it alongside Nikon SLM’s NXG XII 600 platform to improve traceability and reduce process variability during serial-production trials.
“AM Explorer enhances our manufacturing process by automating complex workflows and ensuring robust quality assurance,” said Martin Thordén, Vice President at GKN Aerospace Sweden. “It supports our goal of scaling AM production while maintaining stringent aerospace industry standards.”
Isabelle Hachette, CEO of Interspectral, described the collaboration as an example of how integrated data analytics can strengthen industrial-scale additive manufacturing. “Our shared work with Nikon SLM and GKN Aerospace shows how integrated data insights can protect and enhance some of the world’s most valuable AM production workflows,” she said.
Simon Merkt-Schippers, Executive Vice President of Product Management at Nikon SLM Solutions, emphasized that the integration aligns with the company’s commitment to open architecture and scalable manufacturing. “Together with our partner, we are enabling and easing the transition from low-series to large-scale AM production through advanced quality-assurance solutions,” he said. “Our combined systems will improve operational efficiency and unlock AM at true scale—proven by pioneering end customers like GKN Aerospace.”
The integrated AM Explorer–SLM platform will be showcased at Formnext 2025 in Frankfurt, where both companies will conduct live presentations at Hall 11.1, Booth B38.
Software Integration and Workflow Intelligence in Additive Manufacturing
In 2025, software-driven integration has become central to the industrialization of additive manufacturing. Axtra3D, a high-speed stereolithography printer manufacturer, introduced Axtra Workflow, a fully connected production ecosystem uniting build preparation, printing, and post-processing under a traceable digital framework. The launch included Axtra.Wash, Axtra.Cure, and Axtra.Insight—post-processing and analytics tools designed to automate washing, curing, and sensor-based validation. By combining data from over 150 sensors across the workflow, Axtra.Insight delivers real-time analytics and predictive maintenance for regulatory-ready production.
A parallel trend has emerged in the open-software domain. At Formnext 2025, Materialise, a Belgian additive manufacturing software and services company, expanded its CO-AM ecosystem with three new automation tools—CO-AM Professional, CO-AM NPI, and CO-AM Enterprise—supported by CO-AM Brix and CO-AM Build Platform. Each module enhances interoperability and real-time traceability across mixed hardware fleets, enabling manufacturers to customize validated workflows for certification. Through collaboration with the Leading Minds consortium, Materialise is aligning CO-AM’s data model with ISO/ASTM 529xx, 3MF, and OPC UA standards, promoting unified definitions of build, material, and quality entities across the industry.
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Featured image shows the collaboration will be showcased at Formnext 2025. Image via Nikon SLM Solutions.
