Oerlikon, a specialist in metal 3D printing and advanced materials, and the newly spun-off TRUMPF Additive Manufacturing have entered a strategic partnership to expand their metal 3D printing capabilities, including the addition of new TruPrint 5000 systems at Oerlikon’s Huntersville facility, strengthening operations in defense, aerospace, and semiconductor markets.
This official agreement represents a key milestone in the partnership between Oerlikon and TRUMPF’s AM business. Following TRUMPF’s recent AM division spin-off, Oerlikon emphasizes its continued commitment to a collaboration grounded in mutual trust, shared objectives, and AM technologies.
Mike Tobin, General Manager, and Dan Haller, Head of Commercial at Oerlikon AM, along with Matthias Himmelsbach—former TRUMPF Head of Additive Manufacturing and soon-to-be CEO of the newly spun-off entity—officially signed the agreement to jointly explore AM opportunities across various markets, leveraging TRUMPF’s expertise alongside Oerlikon’s strengths in developing AM programs.
“Our goal is to advance AM capabilities toward the reliability and production readiness of traditional manufacturing technologies, while fully leveraging the advantages that metal 3D printing offers,” says Mike Tobin, General Manager of Oerlikon.
Expanded Capabilities and Future Plans
As part of this strategic partnership, Oerlikon has also expanded its 3D printing operations at its Huntersville, NC facility with the addition of three new TRUMPF TruPrint 5000 machines. The site now operates six TruPrint 5000 systems and a total of 26 metal 3D printers, making it the location with the largest number of TruPrint 5000 printers globally. These machines are designed for demanding applications in defense, aerospace, and semiconductor industries, including suppressors, heat exchangers, and cold plates.
Looking ahead, Oerlikon and TRUMPF Additive Manufacturing will collaborate on developing the next generation of TRUMPF metal AM printers, expected to be unveiled later this year.
New Partnershios in the AM Sector
In August, California-based manufacturing technology firm Divergent Technologies partnered with aerospace firm Raytheon, to modernize naval products using the Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS). The collaboration has delivered significant gains in production scalability and efficiency.
Elsewhere, Reinforce 3D, the Spanish developers of Continuous Fiber Injection Process (CFIP) Technology, entered into a strategic partnership with Spring Srl, Italian additive manufacturing company, to accelerate the adoption and development of CFIP technology in high-performance materials and manufacturing processes.
In June, automated post-processing systems manufacturer Additive Manufacturing Technologies (AMT) partnered with TriMech Group to expand access to its automated post-processing systems across the US and Canada. As part of the agreement, TriMech will act as a value-added reseller for AMT’s full range of solutions, including vapor smoothing, depowdering, and surface treatment equipment. This partnership responds to a persistent challenge in AM: the labor and time involved in finishing printed parts.
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Featured photo shows TruPrint 5000 system. Photo via Oerlikon.
