Metal Additive Manufacturing, Vol. 11 No. 1 Spring 2025

Prefer a PDF download? Click here

In addition to the latest industry news, this 188-page issue of Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine includes the following exclusive features:

Back to the future: A decade of Additive Manufacturing innovation and growth at Materials Solutions

Ten years ago, in the first-ever issue of Metal AM magazine, Materials Solutions was featured as one of the industry’s rising stars. A decade on, with ongoing questions about the wider industry’s progress, we returned to see what the company’s journey reveals. Much has changed, including its acquisition by Siemens Energy (formerly Siemens AG), which fuelled significant growth. Yet the company remains firmly focused on its core expertise: processing nickel-base superalloys for high-temperature applications.

Martin McMahon reports on its journey to large-scale series production, including a milestone agreement with Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace and a major investment in Nikon SLM Solutions’ NXG XII 600 machines.

Win or lose: A CEO’s reflections on Artificial Intelligence and Additive Manufacturing

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping industries, and Additive Manufacturing is no exception. For CEOs, the challenge isn’t just understanding AI’s potential but strategically integrating it to drive efficiency, innovation, and competitive advantage.

In this article, Henning Fehrmann, chairman and CEO of FEHRMANN Tech Group, considers AI’s real-world impact on AM. Drawing from personal experience, he offers insights on how AM industry leaders can leverage AI to strengthen their businesses, adapt to market shifts, and stay competitive.

AMS 2025 New York: A reality check for the Additive Manufacturing industry

AMS 2025, organised by 3Dprint.com and Additive Manufacturing Research, delivered a stark wake-up call for the Additive Manufacturing industry. Once hailed as a disruptive force, AM is struggling to meet high expectations, with large-scale industrial adoption progressing more slowly than anticipated. The event revealed a disconnect between bold financial projections and market realities, leading to a crisis of confidence among investors and stakeholders.

Tali Rosman reports on an industry at a crossroads, facing hard truths and recalibrating for the future.

Optimising powder removal in PBF-LB Additive Manufacturing: A Digital Twin approach

As Additive Manufacturing pushes the boundaries of design, post-processing remains a major challenge – in particular powder removal in Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB). But what if the digital twin of a part could not only optimise its design, but also predict and streamline powder removal?

Here, Joseph Kowen explores how Solukon’s SPR-Pathfinder software achieves this, using advanced simulation to map powder flow and automate depowdering, ensuring that even the most intricate designs remain manufacturable.

ValCUN’s MMD: A robust, wire-based aluminium AM technology for defence and industrial applications

ValCUN’s Molten Metal Deposition (MMD) technology is a wire-based Additive Manufacturing solution designed to improve deployability and cost efficiency in aluminium part production. While applicable across various industrial sectors, it is also being explored for defence applications due to its potential for in-field manufacturing.

With its inherent robustness, and the elimination of powder handling, MMD offers a deployable, user-friendly solution for producing critical parts in remote or demanding environments, as well as for seamless integration into industrial production settings.

Enhancing quality and reliability in metal Additive Manufacturing: The role of laser calibration

In metal Additive Manufacturing, precision and reliability are critical, particularly in highly regulated industries. Ensuring consistent quality requires meticulous laser calibration and process control. 3D Systems addresses this need by integrating advanced laser beam analysis and power measurement solutions from MKS’s Ophir brand.

As the company reports, by leveraging Ophir’s high-precision sensors, 3D Systems enhances laser performance monitoring and process stability, helping its customers meet stringent industry standards and produce the highest-quality metal AM components.

< Back to archive