WAAM3D RoboWAAM metal 3D printer
Accuron Technologies, a precision engineering and technology group based in Singapore, has made a further investment in wire arc additive manufacturing company WAAM3D, giving it a majority interest.
WAAM3D's first strategic investment came from Accuron back in 2019 after the metal 3D printing start-up spun out of Cranfield University. While details have not been disclosed, Accuron says this latest investment emphasises its ‘confidence in the prospects for wire arc additive manufacturing.’
“We are excited about our journey with WAAM3D,” said Tan Kai Hoe, Group CEO & President of Accuron Technologies. “As the company’s first strategic investor when it was spun out of Cranfield University, we provided additional resources to support its growth as the company developed. I see this as a testament of the shared belief the founders and we have in the company, as well as the mutual trust we have developed over the past years.”
WAAM3D was founded in 2018 to commercialise WAAM technology, an area of 3D printing that Cranfield University, together with a number of partners, has been leading research in for over a decade. WAAM technology is geared towards the manufacture of large-format metal parts in aerospace, and heavy industries such as oil and gas, to enable greater design freedom, reduced costs, environmental footprint, and lead times.
Kai Hoe added, “In addition to providing financial support, Accuron’s industrial expertise and network also help to accelerate the company’s technology, product, and business development, but we think it takes a village to raise a child. Indeed, we look forward to working with partners and customers in a long-term relationship to bring this innovative, energy-efficient, and disruptive WAAM technology to key manufacturing industries. I am convinced WAAM will enable us to serve these industries to shape better lives.”
At TCT 3Sixty 2022, WAAM3D officially launched its RoboWAAM metal 3D printing platform, which took home the award for TCT Hardware Award - Non-polymers at that year’s TCT Awards ceremony. A year later, the UK-based company followed up with the launch of its latest wire arc additive manufacturing control software designed to give operators a fully controllable production process for its RoboWAAM 3D printer. Back in September, WAAM3D announced its would be working with partners on board a 22.5m GBP Aerospace Technology Institute research project to additively manufacture aircraft landing gear.
