Sep 4, 2017 | By Tess
German steel producer Thyssenkrupp has officially opened a new 3D printing center in Mülheim, a city located in the western part of Germany. The facility will enable the multinational company to increase its activity in the 3D printing industry, which it calls an “expanding market.”
Thyssenkrupp, which produces various steel-based products including elevators, submarines, and trains, first announced that it would be launching a 3D printing center in April at Hannover Messe 2017.
At the time of the announcement, executive board member of Thyssenkrupp Materials Services division Hans-Josef Hoss made the following statement:
“We have decided...to establish our own 3D printing center. We have invested already into the machines. We have invested already in the people—they are there. They are already producing. We start from the engineering side and deliver the final product with all after-sales and related services.”
Now, with the 3D printing center finally up and running, Thyssenkrupp will reportedly be producing both metal and plastic components using its additive manufacturing technology. Currently, the facility houses two state-of-the-art 3D printing systems: one plastic, one metal.
Thyssenkrupp's new center is the home to an EOS M290 metal 3D printing system
According to Heinrich Hiesinger, Chief Executive of Thyssenkrupp, the company has invested over a million euros into the newly opened additive manufacturing center and is confident that it will see a solid return on the parts that it produces there.
That is, Hiesinger claims that the market for 3D printed specialty products could be worth as much as 20 billions euros (around $24 billion) in annual sales. The company hopes to leverage its additive manufacturing tech for various industries, such as the aviation, automotive, and energy sectors.
“If we take all our sectors we would cover about half of that, which does not mean that we can service this market right away. But it's the arena where we will be able to start to deliver to customers,” said Hiesinger.
According to a German source, Thyssenkrupp is already planning to integrate 3D printed components into its U-boats.
Based in Essen, Germany, Thyssenkrupp is currently one of the world’s largest steel producers and serves over 250,000 clients around the globe. With its new foray into the 3D printing world, there is little doubt that the company will continue to grow and even to flourish, as it keeps up with state-of-the-art manufacturing trends.
Posted in 3D Printer Company
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