AddUp Joins Additive Manufacturing Application Center in Sweden

Combining additive manufacturing with new sustainable materials, enables more flexible and resource-efficient production. But for companies to fully utilize the benefits of the technology, support is needed in every step along the supply chain ranging from development of new business models to product design and testing in a real production environment. Therefore, RISE is opening the Application Center for Additive Manufacturing in collaboration with industrial and academic partners. This Application Center for Additive Manufacturing will create a platform for industrial partners to collaborate with academia and institutes to achieve the impossible and stimulate the adoption of the additive manufacturing in Sweden.

Additive manufacturing enables a paradigm shift for the industry and is relevant for many sectors such as aerospace, automotive, medical, telecom, maritime, and consumer goods to name a few. Some of the advantages are the mass customization enabling unique tailor-made components that are produced with minimal material waste and that are optimized with regards to their weight and geometries. The global market for additive manufacturing is expected to continue to grow, and for metallic materials the market is expected to increase by a factor of two by 2025. It is important that Sweden continues to invest in additive manufacturing to strengthen its position in this rapidly growing market.

In the Center, the industrial partners will have access to the latest research carried out by the research partners, the ability to test and demonstrate different additive manufacturing technologies, as well as access expertise and competence along the supply chain. To be successful in such an environment, collaboration, and cooperation between all partners in the Center is vital as each partner has a unique competence and experience. The Center creates an independent and open environment for such collaboration to take place in Sweden.

With its expertise, AddUp, one of the 15 partners, aims to address various aspects along the value chain in additive manufacturing, from design and product/material development, to manufacturing and post processing including surface and heat treatment and quality control. AddUp will collaborate with the Center’s partners to develop an alternative, cost-effective production method for Swedish industry to be implemented and industrialized. This collaboration will help digitalize manufacturing and optimize supply chain to be more efficient.

The AddUp Modulo 400 DED machine will soon be installed at the RISE Additive Manufacturing Application Center in Sweden. This machine showcases technology built for the needs of industrial production. With a build volume of 650 x 400 x 400 mm, it is designed to handle a wide variety of applications. It is equipped with two nozzles of different size and power. A 24Vx nozzle to produce large parts with speed, and a 10Vx nozzle to produce parts with precision. These nozzles can be changed in only a few seconds, without interrupting production. The Modulo 400 is equipped with an enclosure inerting device which allows to work with reactive powders. This feature makes it one of the few DED machines on the market capable of producing reactive or non-reactive powder. In addition, process control systems allow for continuous observation of the melt pool and provide early detection of possible drifts during production. The integration of a pyrometer allows for closed-loop control of the melting temperature.

The inauguration of the RISE Additive Manufacturing Application Center will take place on May 31, 2022. During this special event, AddUp experts will present “Bridging the gap for mass adoption of additive manufacturing in industry”. As AM pushes forward towards an industrial scale, AddUp is focused on supporting every step of the adoption, offering industry-ready machines and quality assurance software. This partnership will provide the opportunity for Swedish industry to take full advantage of the AddUp’s experience and expertise in metal additive manufacturing.

About RISE

Through international collaboration with industry, academia and the public sector, RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden), ensures the capacity for the renewal of Swedish industry, business competitiveness and innovation with the aim to contribute to a sustainable society.

As a research and innovation leader for Sweden, RISE is ready to lead the way in the transition to a sustainable society for future generations. RISE is committed to creating an impact on the innovation system, supporting societal development, strengthening competitiveness, and focusing on sustainable growth.

To learn more, visit www.ri.se/sv.