Nexa3D has opened a full-scale additive manufacturing customer centre within its Ventura headquarters in partnership with Henkel.
The NEXTFACTORY has been designed to give users of its polymer 3D printing technologies direct access to design decision support and optimisation, as well as integrated post-processing technologies, material formulation customisation, colour matching and a range of finishing options. Nexa offers both Stereolithography and Laser Sintering technologies through its NXE 400 and QLS 350 platforms, and has partnered with the likes of Henkel to expand its materials options with soft rubber, general purpose and medical-grade products.
With additional automation, process and software partners expected to join Henkel at the NEXTFACTORY, Nexa3D is aiming to give production professionals access to the domain expertise, resources, tools, materials and relevant production and post-processing equipment to set up end-to-end additive manufacturing workflows. Nexa3D customers will be able to use the facility to ‘fast-track’ their production scale up, material selection and the design of their production lines.
While the company believes its 3D printing technologies have a home in a wide range of industries, it has sought to integrate Henkel into the NEXTFACTORY in order to meet the ‘accelerated demand’ for additively manufactured parts in the mobility, footwear, industrial and health sectors. Their main focus is to ‘open the aperture’ on functional materials, tailoring material properties and providing colour matching and finishing options suited to the requirements of each customer. Users of the facility will also be able to access design optimisation and manufacturing execution system tools, as well as post-processing and finishing automation solutions.
“The centre is designed to help customers across the entire additive process and accelerate the adoption of additive manufacturing in their business, regardless of where they are on their journey,” commented Simon Mawson, Senior VP and Global Head of 3D Printing at Henkel. “Customers will benefit from hands-on training and the ability to pilot their own production requirements, enabling them to realise the full potential of additive manufacturing and leverage the combined functional materials, validated workflows and 3D printing expertise that Henkel and Nexa3D have to offer.”
“For example, customers can come to the centre with a prototype product, and we will collaborate with them to design and build a pilot production proof of concept,” added Avi Reichental, co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Nexa3D. “We will then work with them to develop a turnkey solution with the best system, tailored materials and post-processing equipment for their application. By working with us, customers will better understand how to industrialise their processes while improving product quality and supply chain sustainability.”
Nexa3D and Henkel are also planning to open two additional facilities in North America and Europe to further support their customers before the end of 2022.
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