#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.

SHIMA SEIKI brings new flat knitting technologies to FEBRATEX 2026

Leading flat knitting solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Brazilian representative BRASTEMA TECNOLOGIA TEXTIL LTDA., will exhibit at the Brazilian Textile Industry Fair (FEBRATEX 2026) this month. On display will be a roundup of SHIMA SEIKI computerized flat knitting technology, represented by WHOLEGARMENT® knitting machines, computerized flat knitting machines featuring a brand-new model with high productivity and excellent cost performance, a glove knitting machine and the latest digital solutions.

Lenzing reports improved half-year results and advances strategic transformation

Despite a persistently challenging market environment in the first half of 2026, characterized by volatile energy and raw material prices, subdued global consumer demand and intensified competition from Asia, the Lenzing Group significantly improved its financial performance. Net result after tax more than doubled to EUR 35.6 million, compared with EUR 15.2 million in the first half of 2025. Free cash flow increased to EUR 45.8 million, while EBITDA amounted to EUR 239.2 million. Revenue totaled EUR 1.27 billion, compared with EUR 1.34 billion in the previous year.

Trützschler’s latest spinning and card clothing innovations at CAITME 2026

From September 8 to 10, 2026, Trützschler will present its latest innovations in spinning and card clothing for state-of-the-art fiber processing at CAITME in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Visitors are invited to meet the experts at Pavilion 2, Booth D50 and explore solutions designed to increase productivity, streamline processes, and ensure consistently high yarn quality. Key topics include the next-generation card TC 30i, the integrated draw frame IDF 3, the high-performance comber TCO 21XL as well as Trützschler Card Clothing’s new flat top series STEELTOP®.