Siemens invests in additive manufacturing technology for wind turbine production

The German manufacturing company, Siemens, has invested €30mn (US$37mn) into a new 3D-printing facility in the UK.

The new additive manufacturing site will be located in Worcester, and build for the firm’s 3D-priniting specialist, Materials Solutions Ltd.

The facility, expected to be operational by September this year, is set to create more than 50 jobs in the area.

The site will also enable Siemens to more than triple its number of 3D printers, from 15 to 50.

“Additive Manufacturing is a major pillar in our digitization strategy," remarked Willi Meixner, CEO of Siemens Power and Gas Division.

“This significant investment underlines our belief that there is huge potential for innovation and growth within the Additive Manufacturing sector.”

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“It is also the next step towards achieving our ambition of pioneering the industrialisation of this exciting new technology and demonstrates how we are leading the way for the fourth industrial revolution.”

“Our Worcester-based team are specialists in using Additive Manufacturing technology to solve complex engineering challenges for our customers across a range of sectors including aerospace, automotive and power generation,” stated Phil Hatherley, General Manager of Materials Solutions.

“Our new facility will give us the space and scope to continue to innovate for these specialist and demanding industries and achieve a shift in the perception of 3D printing from being a technology associated with prototyping to a viable option for the serial production of additively-manufactured parts.”

“We were incredibly proud to have achieved a world first last year – the production of a successfully tested 3D printed gas turbine blade – and I believe our new factory will facilitate similar achievements for our customers operating in other highly demanding environments, allowing us to maintain our position at the leading edge of this incredibly exciting industry.”