Following a 2.4 million euro investment, the French city of Bayonne has launched its new metal additive manufacturing center. Known as Addimadour, the center will facilitate industrial implementation of additive manufacturing.
Addimadour is located at the Basque Science Park alongside other workspaces that focus on material development and research into aerospace. The space has been developed by the ESTIA school of engineering following external funding.
Machines and capabilities
The 800 square meter facility will house BeAM 3D printing machines and robotic arms. Currently, the space is operating with plastic 3D printing using robotic arms but will also incorporate metal 3D printers from French company BeAM. BeAM has developed metal additive manufacturing machinery using its laser metal deposition process. Addimadour will receive a Magic 2.0 machine to fabricate metal parts and the company recently delivered a machine to an American 3D printing center in Cincinnati.
Additionally, the center will utilize robotic arms that can deposit metal wire in order to build large scale parts. This process is known as wire arc additive manufacuting (WAAM) and has been implemented by a facility in the Netherlands to create large ship components such as a propeller. Addimadour has been developed in unison with the Compositadour facility. Compositadour, also located at the Basque Science Park, is a platform developing the production of composite materials using robotic arms.
Implementing industrial AM
The Addimadour facility is hoped to encourage industrial application of additive manufacturing without forcing companies to purchase machines of their own. Beginning in October, Addimadour will work on several projects with particular focus on aerospace applications. The center will include a team of 10 people, including 3 doctoral students.
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Featured image shows the inauguration ceremony with Alain Rousset, President of the Region of Aquitaine, André Garreta, President of the Bayonne Basque Chamber of Commerce and Industry and ESTIA, Jean-René Etchegaray, Agglomeration Basque Country. Photo by Agglo/V.Biard.
