Industrial Laser Solutions

Two Fraunhofer institutes establish new additive manufacturing center

Oct. 2, 2015

Two Fraunhofer institutes founded the ACAM Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing, along with partners from science.

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Aachen, Germany - The Fraunhofer Institutes for Production Technology (IPT) and for Laser Technology (ILT) founded the ACAM Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing, along with partners from science. The new center aims to help manufacturing companies—from large concerns via medium-sized companies down to small enterprises—employ the additive manufacturing method usefully and profitably for their production processes.

At RWTH Aachen Campus, a new company has emerged, using the strength of the expert community in this area of technology: on September 23, 2015, the opening event of the ACAM Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing GmbH took place.

Managing directors Dr. Johannes Witzel (left) and Dr. Kristian Arntz (right) are proud of the new ACAM Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing. (Courtesy: Fraunhofer ILT, Aachen, Germany)

ACAM’s managing directors come from the Fraunhofer institutes, one from IPT and the other from Fraunhofer ILT, each of whom has a different motive for founding the company. Dr. Kristian Arntz of Fraunhofer IPT is fascinated about the underlying idea of the center: “We approach a topic here in an integrated way from project, advanced training, feasibility studies, consulting all the way to compiling knowledge in an AM community.” Dr. Johannes Witzel from Fraunhofer ILT focuses on the force “which lies in the unique combination of world-renowned active and renowned large institutions in this area.”

Time for networking at the ACAM opening ceremony on September 23, 2015, at the RWTH Aachen Campus. (Courtesy: Fraunhofer ILT, Aachen, Germany)

Companies are able to participate as a partner in the ACAM community—the annual costs vary from 12,000 euros (basic), 40,000 euros (business), up to the individual contract-negotiated service package (cooperation). But whoever settles on campus can offer something special to its employees. “The employees of these companies can participate in training offered by RWTH Aachen University and are directly involved in the university environment,” Arntz says. When it comes to education, ACAM is planning a tailor-made idea. “Starting in 2016, we will establish, along with RWTH Aachen University, a wide range of seminars tuned to the needs of the industry,” Witzel explains. “In the long term, ACAM is striving for a qualified, certified degree for this area—thus, a Master or Bachelor of Additive Manufacturing.”

For more information, please visit www.acam-aachen.de.