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How Siemens Energy and GEFERTEC are Bringing WAAM to Serial Production: A WAAMathon Preview
On June 11, 2026, the Estrel Hotel in Berlin will host the third edition of WAAMathon, the only conference dedicated exclusively to Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing. Organized by Berlin.Industrial.Group., the event brings together engineers and industry leaders to discuss the&hell
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On June 11, 2026, the Estrel Hotel in Berlin will host the third edition of WAAMathon, the only conference dedicated exclusively to Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing. Organized by Berlin.Industrial.Group., the event brings together engineers and industry leaders to discuss the practical realities of process optimization and material handling. While WAAM is a relatively young technology, it has reached a level of maturity that allows for a focus on real-world applications and the integration of these systems into established industrial workflows.
One highlight of this year’s program is a presentation by Sebastian Recke (Senior Key Account Manager at GEFERTEC) and René Liers (WAAM Project Manager at Siemens Energy) titled “Significant advantages of 3D printing for service parts and serial production.” Using steam turbine vanes as a central case study, they will trace the journey of a component from its initial CAD/CAM design through to final serial production. Their insights offer a clear look at how WAAM is being used to rethink spare parts strategies and improve manufacturing efficiency. We interviewed both experts to dig deeper into their findings ahead of the event. You can read the interview below and register for WAAMathon HERE to join the discussion in Berlin.
Sebastian Recke (Left) and René Liers (right)
3DN: WAAM is often chosen for its deposition rates. What specific limitations of traditional casting or forging for steam turbine vanes led Siemens Energy and GEFERTEC to settle on WAAM as the superior alternative?
René Liers: Traditional manufacturing of steam turbine vanes is heavily constrained by material procurement and material efficiency. The flat stock used for milling the twisted stator vanes has to be sourced internationally, with lead times stretching to several months due to supply chain dependencies. At the same time, the complex geometry of the vanes results in machining volumes of up to 70 percent, leading to high material waste, long machine times, and significant tool wear.
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