#Additive Manufacturing

2020-02-20

Additive manufacturing: Individual, climate-friendly production

Resource efficiency and sustainability are two key themes at the upcoming edition of HANNOVER MESSE, with additive manufacturing playing a major role. The close connection between additive manufacturing and lightweight construction will be reflected at HANNOVER MESSE, with both topics co-located in Hall 23. The 6th Additive Manufacturing Symposium is also being held at HANNOVER MESSE.

Additive manufacturing is opening up a whole new range of opportunities. In addition to resource efficiency, the keyword is flexibility. "Additive manufacturing is driving new design freedom through product individualization as well as printing on demand," says Rainer Gebhardt, project manager within the Additive Manufacturing committee of the German Engineering Federation (VDMA). "Individual gripper systems, function-optimized casting tools or the production of performance-optimized copper induction coils are just a few examples." Additive manufacturing is becoming a climate-friendly solution due to its lower energy and material consumption, lower repair costs and, last but not least, the ability to manufacture close to the required location as well as economically. All this has led to additive manufacturing becoming successfully established as a manufacturing process in industry.

Ideal partners: Additive manufacturing and lightweight construction

Cutting down on the amount of material with a consequent weight reduction makes additive manufacturing an ideal partner for lightweight construction. "As a result of the new layout at HANNOVER MESSE, lightweight construction and additive manufacturing are now direct neighbors in Hall 23," explains Olaf Daebler, Global Director of Engineered Parts & Solutions within the HANNOVER MESSE team. "That means we are creating shorter distances for visitors. In addition to additive manufacturing and lightweight construction, Hall 23 will also feature parts and components made of innovative materials like technical ceramics, rubber and high-performance plastics," he adds.

For companies like Arburg , additive manufacturing and lightweight construction definitely belong together. "Lower weight, lower costs, higher efficiency: Lightweight construction is indispensable for numerous innovative industries," says Gerhard Böhm, Managing Director of Sales at Arburg. "At HANNOVER MESSE 2020, we’ll be presenting two cutting-edge applications for the flexible and, at the same time, economical production of fiber-reinforced components, demonstrating that we offer efficient solutions for injection molding as well as for additive manufacturing." Using an electric injection molding machine, the company will be showcasing its lightweight fiber direct compounding (FDC) process, in which materials can be flexibly combined, fiber length and fiber content individually adjusted and component properties thus directly influenced. In the field of additive manufacturing, a free-former will be on display at the fair, demonstrating the production of a fiber-reinforced gripper.

In the fields of medical technology and aviation, several successful application examples for additive manufacturing have already been achieved, with individualization and lightweight construction playing a key role. But there are benefits for mechanical engineering as well. "Tools, complex functions or highly dynamic processes are predestined for the use of additive manufacturing," reports Gebhardt. "There is great potential in automating the process chain of additive development and manufacturing, and we can already see how various processes and materials are finding their place."

Resource efficiency to be featured at symposium

On Tuesday, 21 April, the Additive Manufacturing committee within VDMA will be organizing the sixth Additive Manufacturing Symposium at HANNOVER MESSE. Taking place at the Technology Academy, the event will focus on sustainability and resource efficiency, featuring presentations and best-practice examples from the field of mechanical engineering and providing trade visitors with an overview of the options offered by additive manufacturing. The topics will include efficient design and manufacturing, design freedom, addition vs. removal, material diversity and performance enhancement through the use of additive-manufactured components.

Hall 23 at HANNOVER MESSE will feature a dedicated Additive Manufacturing area, and companies like alphacam , Arburg , Formlabs , HP and 3D Gence have already confirmed their participation. In addition, Additive Manufacturing will be the topic at the Suppliers Forum in Hall 19/20 on Thursday afternoon.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

Reju opens its first R&D Center in the U.S. in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

Reju, the company specializing in textile regeneration, today announced the opening of a Research and Development (R&D) Center in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, the company's first proprietary research center in North America. Located within Technip Energies' existing Advanced Materials and Catalysts research center, the lab will allow Reju to accelerate the rollout of its recycling technologies and develop its next-generation circular solutions.

Itema reaffirms its commitment to the Syrian textile industry at NasTex 2026

From July 18th to 21st, Itema will exhibit at NasTex at the Damascus Fairground (Hall 11 – Stand C02), marking its return to one of the Middle East’s historically significant textile markets. Itema will showcase advanced weaving technology designed to support the competitiveness and technological evolution of Syrian manufacturers and announces a new partnership with Growfast Agency as the sole agent of Itema in Syria.

KARL MAYER's HKS 2-SE Expands Possibilities for Premium Stretch WARP KNITS

Warp knitted fabrics with a woven look are more in demand than ever in the fashion and apparel industries. Stretch WARP KNITS, in particular, impress with their freedom of movement, breathability, and virtually wrinkle-free wear – thereby opening up new style worlds such as smart casual or business casual. When it comes to the highly efficient production of premium-quality stretch WARP KNITS, the HKS 2-SE has long been the machine of choice. KARL MAYER’s best-selling tricot machine produces standard elastic fabrics characterized by high gauges, smooth, delicate surfaces, and a soft hand feel.