A new centre for additive manufacturing has been established by the Fraunhofer Institutes for Production Technology IPT and for Laser Technology ILT. The Aachen Centre for Additive Manufacturing (ACAM) will give manufacturing companies of all sizes useful and profitable information about how additive manufacturing can be employed in production processes.
The opening of the centre follows on from news that Renishaw has announced plans to open a global network of solutions centres for metal 3D printing.
Dr Kristian Arntz of Fraunhofer IPT and one of the managing directors of the centre, commented that ACAM will offer advanced training, feasibility studies, and consulting, as well as acting as a source of knowledge for the AM community. Dr Johannes Witzel from Fraunhofer ILT is the other managing director of ACAM.
Companies are able to participate as a partner in the ACAM community; the annual cost varies from €12,000 to €40,000, or an individual contract-negotiated service package can be set up.
Arntz said: ‘The employees of these companies can participate in training offered by RWTH Aachen University and are directly involved in the university environment.’
In 2016, the centre will establish, along with RWTH Aachen University, a wide range of seminars for additive manufacturing. In the long term, ACAM is aiming for a qualified, certified degree for AM, such as a Master or Bachelor of Additive Manufacturing.
Strategic partners of ACAM include: Fraunhofer ILT, IPT and Institute for Toolless Manufacturing IMF; KEX Knowledge Exchange; Chair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components at RWTH Aachen University; and the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) at RWTH Aachen University.