Friedberg near Munich, Germany, November 6th, 2023 – voxeljet AG (NASDAQ: VJET), a leading global provider of industrial 3D printing solutions, announced today that FKM Sintertechnik GmbH has joined its VX1000 High Speed Sintering (HSS) beta program. FKM Sintertechnik, a pioneer and leading 3D printing service provider for powder bed laser sintering and laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), will expand its production capacity with the powerful 3D printer, reducing per-part costs while providing an unprecedented build volume. FKM Sintertechnik’s customers include well-known industrial companies in the automotive, aerospace and mechanical engineering industries.

Digitized, networked, and resource-saving, the VX1000 HSS platform has been developed for the production chains of tomorrow. FKM joins a cohort of industry-leading innovative companies ushering in the next generation of large-format, high-productivity polymer 3D printing. With FKM’s participation, voxeljet has reached the threshold of its VX1000 HSS beta program. With a build envelope of 1000 x 540 x 180 mm (for polyamide 12/nylon material), the system has a significantly larger build volume than comparable LPBF systems. Thanks to the industrial printing technology, constant layer times and printing rates of up to 7,300 cm³/h can be achieved independent of the packing density and results in high reproducibility. This makes it possible to print large-format components in one piece or to reduce the cost per part in additive series production, for larger quantities of smaller parts.

FKM Sintertechnik is a leader in additive manufacturing, with more than 40 industrial production systems for selective laser sintering (SLS) and selective laser melting (SLM) in Germany. In addition to prototyping, FKM Sintertechnik produces small, medium, and large series with quantities of several thousand parts per year.

“Our broad customer portfolio requires maximum flexibility in production,” explains Jürgen Blöcher, Managing Director of FKM Sintertechnik GmbH, “we have been closely monitoring the development of HSS technology, and thanks to the VX1000 HSS, we will soon own a system that meets our requirements for flexibility and cost-effectiveness in equal measure.” Blöcher added, “The VX1000 HSS’s higher productivity, combined with a lower powder refresh rate compared to SLS systems, will position FKM to deliver decisive economic advantages while allowing us to print a wide variety of parts in one job with maximum flexibility.”

“We are pleased to have FKM as a partner. As an early adopter of additive manufacturing, FKM’s expertise in polymer printing will be enhanced with the use of the VX1000 HSS,” said Rudolf Franz, COO of voxeljet AG. “Our large-format printer will provide users like FKM with significant cost advantages over other powder bed-based processes available on the market today. Our open-source approach also contributes to this.”

The VX1000 HSS is scheduled to be installed at FKM Sintertechnik’s headquarters in Biedenkopf, Germany, in the second quarter of 2024. A VX200 HSS has already been installed on site to allow FKM’s specialists to be trained on HSS technology.

Friedberg, Germany, October 25th, 2023 —

voxeljet AG (NASDAQ: VJET) and Loramendi demonstrate the world’s first fully automated additive serial 3D production line for sand cores, jointly developed as part of the Industrialization of Core Printing (ICP) cooperation project. A new video released today features the implementation of the first ICP production line at BMW Group’s (OTCPK:BMWYY) plant in Landshut, Germany. As BMW Group’s largest component plant, Landshut has approximately 3,500 employees and supplies all of its vehicle and engine plants worldwide, including for nearly all BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles, and for its motorcycle brand, BMW Motorrad.

The customized, low-emissions solution integrates voxeljet’s high-speed VX1300-X (VJET-X) 3D printers into a fully automated pre- and post-processing workflow, including industrial microwaves for curing the 3D printed cores. Printing rates were increased by factor ten with the latest generation of VJET-X 3D printers, and the toolless design of the sand cores allowed for variant changes at unprecedented speed without time-consuming tool changes and production downtime. The unused material is 100% recycled and reused in the production process.

“The fully-automated 3D production line at BMW’s Landshut plant is a key milestone not only for voxeljet, but for the entire 3D printing and automotive industry,” said Dr. Ingo Ederer, founder and CEO of voxeljet. “We believe this customized, near-zero emissions solution achieved in partnership between voxeljet, Loramendi and BMW will become an industry standard.”

Together, voxeljet and Loramendi are revolutionizing the industrialization of core printing. The production of inorganic 3D printed cores has enabled BMW Group to advance the design of its engine components. For example, the cylinder head for BMW’s B48 engine has been significantly improved by using 3D printing to produce water jacket – outlet combi cores. Additionally, 3D printing allows BMW to produce sand cores in one piece, reducing the complex design of engine components while optimizing the engine’s efficiency and fuel consumption. The inorganic 3D production line also significantly reduces the foundry’s emissions, as only water steam is produced during the casting process.

voxeljet’s powerful next-generation binder jetting 3D printing technology offers the highest additive productivity and throughput to meet the demands of BMW’s large-scale production needs. voxeljet’s layer-by-layer technology works by using sand and an inorganic binder. A print head selectively bonds layers of sand to create the cores, which are then unpacked, microwave cured, cleaned and inspected before being fed into BMW’s established casting process. voxeljet has been granted 1 patent and has 10 patent families with 28 patent applications across the United States, Europe, and other geographies that protect this proprietary approach.

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Friedberg, Germany, October 11th, 2023 – GE Research has selected voxeljet (NASDAQ: VJET) as its partner for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DoE) $14.9 million award in federal funding for the development and commercialization of a large sand binder jet 3D printer, called Advanced Casting Cell (ACC), to accelerate the United States’ transition to clean power. In addition to voxeljet, GE Research has also selected GE Hydro, GE Onshore Wind, GE Offshore Wind, Clemson University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and Hodge Foundry as partners on the ACC project.

The Advanced Casting Cell project was established to strengthen the U.S. manufacturing industry and expertise to boost the cost-effective domestic production of large metallic near net shape (NNS) components in alignment of the Biden Administration’s clean power-generation strategy. The ACC will be developed and deployed to produce sand molds to manufacture metallic NNS parts. With development of the ACC, the project includes the digital creation of mold designs via a digital foundry as well as the completion of a techno-economic analysis of cost and supply chain challenges.

The project aims to produce 3D-printed large scale sand molds to cast components for the nacelle of the GE Haliade-X Offshore Turbine. The nacelle, where mechanical components are housed, can weigh more than 60 metric tons. The goal is to reduce the time it takes to produce this pattern and mold, from around ten weeks to two weeks. According to Data Bridge Market Research, the global wind turbine nacelle market has estimated to be valued at $6.6 billion in 2021 and projected to be over $15 billion by 2029.

This novel manufacturing technology has the potential to reduce overall hydropower costs by 20% and lead times by four months. The project will also include the production optimization of a 16-ton rotor hub using the ACC as well as the development of a robotic welding process for the assembly of a >10-ton Francis runner. To help ensure successful implementation of ACC, an advanced manufacturing curriculum is being created for local workforce development to train and engage workers on the specifics of this 3D printing manufacturing technology.

“We’re excited to be a part of this future-driven and innovative project,” said Dr. Ingo Ederer, CEO of voxeljet. “The development and cost-efficient manufacturing of clean power-generation technologies is in high-demand because it is key to meeting and overcoming global climate challenges. We are confident that additive manufacturing, and specifically our large-scale Binder Jetting technology, is the right choice to manufacture complex parts used in these next-generation wind turbines.”

For voxeljet, this year’s GIFA was all about inorganics. In addition to the joint project ICP (Industrialization of Core Printing) with Loramendi for BMW, the Bavarian company also presented a new, patent-pending, cold-curing inorganic process technology (cold IOB). The ICP project involves a fully automated, manufacturing cell in operation at BMW’s light metal foundry in Landshut. Within this manufacturing cell, casting cores are printed with inorganic binders and then cured using a microwave. Consequently, it is a warm process technology.

The new cold IOB technology does not require a microwave and is thus characterized by lower investment and operating costs. The use of IOB technologies opens up numerous advantages for the foundry industry, e.g. only water vapor is produced during casting instead of harmful gases. This not only reduces emissions but also improves working conditions in foundries.

“The introduction of cold IOB technology is an important step towards further adoption of printed cores and molds with inorganic binders in the foundry industry,” says Dr. Ingo Ederer, CEO at voxeljet. “Our goal is to provide innovative solutions that not only increase efficiency, but also help promote the sustainability of metal casting.”

The features of the cold IOB process technology and molds and cores produced with it include high dimensional accuracy, very good detail resolution and edge sharpness, and the ability to 3D print large molds and cores. Unlike warm IOB processes, which require printed cores to be cured and dried using a microwave, voxeljet’s cold IOB technology only requires drying after printing, which takes place outside the machine. Customers thus avoid high investment and operating costs for industrial microwaves. The process can basically be used on all voxeljet platforms. It is currently being tested and offered on the VX1000 and VX1000S printers. An expansion of the offering to the VX2000 is planned soon.

The use of inorganic binder in the foundry industry, especially in the automotive sector, is gaining popularity. In view of increasing environmental regulations, demand for inorganic-bonded molds and cores is expected to rise continuously. voxeljet is committed to expanding its leading role in the field of environmentally compatible 3D printing processes and to making a significant contribution to the sales growth of the voxeljet Group through this strategic orientation.

The cold IOB technology is particularly suitable for prototyping and medium series sizes and is now commercially available. Interested customers already can order benchmarks.

After years of research and optimization, a  joint vision goes live: voxeljet and Loramendi present  their flagship project for BMW Group Plant Landshut at this year’s GIFA foundry trade fair.  As part  of our cooperation project ICP (Industrialization of Core Printing), we have developed a fully automated and integrated production  line for the inorganic large-scale production of sand cores using 3D printing.

By using 3D printing in the production of water jacket cores, the design of the cylinder head for the BMW B48 engine can be significantly improved. The inorganic process protects the environment and improves working conditions, as only steam is produced during casting. At the same time, the efficiency and consumption of the engine can be optimized due to the complex design of the component. No other technology made it possible to mass-produce such a complex element in a cost-efficient manner.  Instead of complex individual parts, BMW can now produce the core entirely in one piece using 3D printing.  The ICP production line completely automates and optimizes the once manual and tedious process. Five voxeljet VX1300-X 3D printers now produce thousands of cores fully automatically every week using the binder jetting process. These are then unpacked, hardened, cleaned and prepared for casting in unpacking stations, microwaves and cleaning cells specifically developed by Loramendi.

“The fully automated 3D production line is the standard we want to implement: for four years, we have worked hard on this project with BMW. To see the VJET X printers in full operation now is extremely exciting and a milestone not only for us but also for the entire 3D printing and automotive industry,” highlights Dr. Ingo Ederer, voxeljet founder and CEO.

The VX1300-X 3D printer is a 3D printer designed for mass additive manufacturing. A high-performance process unit enables bidirectional recoating and simultaneous printing of the build area. As a result, the VX1300-X achieves extremely short layer times and high output volumes in multi-shift and continuous operation, which makes it ideal for series production. With a fully automated post-processing cell, the complex sand cores are prepared for metal casting and integrated into the existing casting process. The tool-free construction of the sand cores enables variant changes at unparalleled speed, without any time-consuming tool changes and production downtimes.

We will be presenting further innovations at GIFA, such as a completely new type of boat propeller. For Sharrow Marine LLC in Detroit, we manufacture PMMA 3D printed models for the award-winning  Sharrow MX-1 boat propeller. This new propeller is more efficient, faster and, above all, significantly quieter than other propellers. 3D-printed PMMA models from voxeljet in combination with investment casting enable a design that pushes conventional manufacturing technologies to their limits and is only possible thanks to additive manufacturing.

As a supplier to General Motors, TEI is using the world’s largest 3D sand printer to produce cast cores for the series production of large-format, weight-saving structural components for the Cadillac CELESTIQ. By implementing 3D printing in the development and construction of the components, OEM manufacturers can realize completely new, function-optimized designs. Suppliers benefit from the fast and flexible integration of 3D printed cores into existing production lines.

TEI, an expert in highly complex castings for the engineering and manufacturing industry, has been working with voxeljet since 2018. What started with a three-year volume contract of over 500,000 liters of 3D-printed sand turned into a success story for both companies. TEI is the only company in the US to own three of voxeljet’s VX4000 3D printers, which are among the world’s largest 3D sand printers with a build volume of 4 x 2 x 1 meters. With its third VX4000, TEI has now expanded its additive manufacturing capacity to up to 2.5 million liters per year. This enables the US company to implement further technically demanding projects such as the series production of lightweight components for the underbody structure of the all-electric Cadillac CELESTIQ.

The novel underbody structure consists of six large precision sand-cast aluminum parts. In order to realize the complex structures as economically and lightly as possible, TEI uses additive manufacturing in production for all inner cores. This allows stiffening features to be incorporated into the hollow sections, which is not economically feasible with conventional manufacturing. A total of 51 additively manufactured sand cores are used in the production of each vehicle underbody. TEI prints these using the VX4000 printers, each of which prints hundreds of inner cores for several vehicle sets in just one night. After printing, the cores are smoothed, coated with a fireproof coating, placed in sand molds and finally cast using a low-pressure filling process. Each of the six castings reduces the number of parts by 30 to 40 components compared to a typical stamped construction. As each structural part has fully machined interfaces, the six castings can be assembled precisely and very tight tolerances can be maintained for assembly fabrication.

Large-format mold and core printing on the VX4000 3D printers makes production leaner and therefore faster and more economical compared to conventional manufacturing. Significantly fewer components need to be produced, which simplifies and speeds up assembly work. “By eliminating tools and taking advantage of the large build volume of the VX4000 printers, we can significantly reduce delivery times and produce lightweight components with optimized topologies. This would not be possible in the conventional way,” explains Oliver Johnson, President of TEI. In addition, 3D sand printing makes completely new designs and light weight structures possible. This results in geometrically optimized parts, which are very important for the automotive and aerospace industries. What is important for the implementation at suppliers: New function-optimized designs can be realized quickly and flexibly with the VX4000 3D printers and printed cores can be easily integrated into an existing production.

“We are pleased to have TEI as a strong partner and user of sand 3D printing in the US. The purchase of the third VX4000 printer builds on previous system installations at TEI’s corporate site in Livonia, Michigan, and enables the company to grow rapidly and deliver unique projects like this,” said Michael Dougherty, Managing Director at voxeljet America Inc. “Together, we will further establish additive manufacturing technology in industrial manufacturing and intensify our collaboration. We are proud to support the company with our unique 3D printing technology and to show once again that our printed casting technology is entering production and enabling unprecedented designs.”