Xerox enters metal Additive Manufacturing with acquisition of Vader Systems
February 7, 2019
Vader’s Polaris™ liquid metal Additive Manufacturing system (Courtesy Vader Systems)
Iconic printer and photocopier manufacturer Xerox, headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, USA, announced during its 2019 Investor Day that it has acquired metal Additive Manufacturing company Vader Systems. The company stated that this acquisition will enable it to offer its customers access to low-cost metal AM with more metals.
“Manufacturing customers want to use 3D printing, but the current offerings only serve the prototyping market well, not broad manufacturing,” the company stated. “Xerox-developed, acquired and partnered printing, software and material technologies are expected to deliver the productivity, materials range and cost and design tools to enable part manufacturing.”
The company also stated that it has received strong customer feedback from major manufacturers, and that it expects its metal and plastic AM solutions to move into product commercialisation this year.
Based in Buffalo, New York, USA, Vader Systems is a developer of liquid metal Additive Manufacturing technology which primarily uses affordable metal wire feedstock. Its offerings include the Vader Polaris™ liquid metal AM system, the Magnet-o-Jet™ Subsystem for hybrid manufacturing equipment integration, and the Ares™ Microsphere Production System for the production of spherical metal powders.
No further comment on the acquisition has been given at this time, but notably, Vader Systems’ home page has been replaced with Xerox’s page on Additive Manufacturing via redirect. On this page, Xerox states: “Xerox is constantly looking for new ways to deliver more value to our customers. We are leveraging our experience and expertise in digital printing to polymer and metal 3D printing technologies and will introduce new equipment, materials, services and design tools to the market.”
