Renishaw opens additive manufacturing centre in India

16 Jun 2016

Pune facility highlights company's investment in the development of laser-AM technologies.

Renishaw is this week opening a new Additive Manufacturing Solutions Centre in Pune, India. The new facility will be equipped with the latest AM systems and staffed by knowledgeable engineers to give clients easy access to deploying the technology, for a fixed cost.

Renishaw says that additive manufacturing (also known as metal 3D printing) is “increasingly recognised as a transformational manufacturing technology finding applications in aircraft engines and satellites, dental restoration elements and surgery for facial reconstruction”. Renishaw, which develops metal AM machines, sees the new Indian centre as a cornerstone in its ambition to be a major contributor to the adoption of AM in this market.

Rhydian Pountney, Renishaw’s Director responsible for Indian Sales and Marketing Operations, said, “The thrust of the additive manufacturing centres is to create a platform on which to work in close partnership with customers to help them realise the benefits of AM in their products and manufacturing processes.”

Clive Martell, the company’s Head of Global Additive Manufacturing, added, “Our vision is to make AM a mainstream manufacturing technology, used in series production of high performance parts for aerospace, medical, automotive, oil and gas, mould and die applications and consumer products. The technology will enable companies to design and make innovative products with spectacular gains in performance and efficiency.”

When adopting any disruptive new manufacturing technology, companies will go through a rigorous assessment process to understand the potential benefits, and to prove the reliability and capability of the production process. The investment in time, resources and equipment to achieve this can be significant.

Demonstrators

Renishaw Solutions Centres are devised to lower this entry barrier by providing cost-effective access to machinery, facilities and AM expertise. Solutions Centres provide a confidential development environment in which firms can explore the benefits that AM can bring to their products, and quickly build their knowledge and confidence in AM as a production technology.

Marc Saunders, Renishaw’s Director Global Solutions Centres said, “Whilst AM can create complex geometries in a single process step, some level of finishing is generally required to produce functional products. Renishaw's knowledge of metrology, machining and finishing processes can help customers to develop an integrated manufacturing solution for their innovative new product.”

The new Pune Solutions Centre highlights Renishaw's continuing investment in the development, manufacture and application of AM technologies, and the company says it also demonstrates the company's long term commitment to the Indian market. It will sit alongside Renishaw's existing key strategic additive manufacturing development locations in the UK, USA, Canada, Germany & China.