Oerlikon AM, a leading global provider of additive manufacturing solutions using metals, provides an extensive portfolio of additive manufacturing and advanced manufacturing services, ranging from the co-development and contract manufacturing of high-quality and performance-optimized AM parts, through research and development, to the production of metal powders for 3D printing. Oerlikon AM offers customized, cutting-edge manufacturing solutions to the aerospace, automotive, power generation and tooling industries, as well as other high-tech sectors. Solutions include materials, process and applications engineering, certified manufacturing processes, post-processing of parts and quality management.

Oerlikon Balzers, Oerlikon Metco and Oerlikon AM are technology brands of the Surface Solutions division of the global Swiss-headquartered Oerlikon Group. The division is a technology and market leader in attractive key markets, where it provides a comprehensive portfolio of surface coating solutions, materials, components and equipment. Oerlikon Group employs more than 11 800 employees in 37 countries.

For the InShape project Oerlikon is providing Additive Manufacturing use cases to demonstrate the benefits of laser beam shaping in AM. The target applications will show improvement opportunities to the product itself and cost reduction as a result of the new technology being developed. Oerlikon has through the AM services a broad knowledge of good AM applications and the challenges of manufacturing them and meeting cost targets for the business cases.

During the project Oerlikon will use the extensive AM processing knowledge to develop and explore which beam shapes could bring the most value to the applications and materials currently being produced via AM at Oerlikon’s AM production facilities. With both experts and knowledge of laser process and materials in addition to highly specialised laboratory equipment for material science Oerlikon can develop AM processing strategies and evaluate the results. This will be key to determining the benefits and most optimal use of the technology.