Siemens has opened Sweden’s first production facility for metal 3D printed components in Finspång. The investment, which cost around €21.4 million (200 million Swedish krona), is said to signal the first steps in the company’s plans for the mass manufacture and repair of metal parts with additive manufacturing.
The workshop will employ 20 operators and engineers and will be used for rapid prototyping, manufacturing and repair of components in Siemens’ series of industrial gas turbines. The facility features Direct Metal Laser Sintering machines from German AM leader, EOS.
Hans Holmström, CEO of Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery, commented in the press release: "Siemens is at the forefront in Sweden and the world of additive manufacturing in the development and production of advanced components in the metal to the power industry. This is a step in a long-term investment in this area, where we have not yet seen all the possibilities. Through this investment, we are building up the skills and experience that can lead to new ideas and developments in the field.”
Thorbjorn Fors, global business director for Distributed Generation at Siemens, added: "With this investment, we can develop new and improved components and repairs to serve our industrial gas turbine SGT-800, significantly faster. Using this innovative approach, we will shorten repair times from months to weeks. It is an important step in our ability to respond to the needs of our customers.”
