Velo3D: Revolutionizing Metal Additive Manufacturing with Integrated Solutions and Strategic European Expansion

Founded in the United States by visionary innovator Benny Buller, Velo3D has rapidly established itself as a pioneering force in the realm of advanced metal additive manufacturing. The company is particularly renowned for its groundbreaking solutions, which are making a significant impact across high-stakes sectors, most notably aerospace. Velo3D’s innovative approach fundamentally transforms the design and production paradigm. Unlike traditional additive manufacturing processes that often require extensive Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) adjustments – often compromising the original design intent – Velo3D’s technology essentially eliminates this need. This empowers engineers and designers to realize their most ambitious visions without compromise, fostering unprecedented freedom in part creation. Furthermore, a core strength of Velo3D lies in its fully integrated metal AM solutions. This end-to-end ecosystem provides users with unparalleled control and flexibility, allowing them to produce complex, high-performance parts with consistent quality and repeatability. The past few years have seen Velo3D experience remarkable growth, expanding its technological footprint and market presence globally. To delve deeper into their cutting-edge solutions, their strategic expansion into the European market, and the future of metal additive manufacturing, we recently had the opportunity to speak with Dirk Rathsack, the managing director for sales at Velo3D.

Introducing Dirk Rathsack: Leading Velo3D’s Sales and European Growth

I am Dirk Rathsack, and I hold the position of managing director for sales at Velo3D. I joined the company in April of this year, bringing with me a robust background in the 3D printing industry. My previous professional engagement was with Protolabs, a leading rapid manufacturing company specializing in various technologies, headquartered in Germany. Over the past six years, during my tenure as a sales VP at Protolabs, I gained extensive experience and deep insights into both polymer and metal additive manufacturing technologies. This rich experience has prepared me perfectly for my current role. I am incredibly excited to be working with Velo3D, a company at the forefront of innovation, and to contribute to the successful expansion of its revolutionary 3D printing solutions as we significantly grow our presence across Europe. My goal is to leverage my expertise to connect Velo3D’s advanced capabilities with the diverse needs of the European market.

Velo3D: Empowering Innovation in Mission-Critical Metal Parts

Velo3D stands as a leading technology manufacturing company, dedicated to providing fully integrated metal additive manufacturing solutions specifically engineered for the production of mission-critical parts. Our core clientele often comprises engineers and manufacturers who face significant hurdles in producing highly complex or high-performance components using either first-generation 3D printing technologies or conventional manufacturing methodologies. We specialize in addressing these profound design and production challenges. Our fundamental mission is to empower customers to print and manufacture their intricate parts without being forced to compromise on quality, performance, or original design intent. This ability to deliver uncompromised parts is what truly sets Velo3D apart in the additive manufacturing landscape.

To elaborate on what we mean by “mission-critical parts,” these are components whose flawless function is absolutely essential to the success and safety of an entire system or operation. A prime example is a rocket engine; if any part of it fails, the entire space mission is immediately jeopardized, leading to potentially catastrophic outcomes. For such vital components, it is imperative that they are manufactured with extreme precision and reliability, optimized for maximum functionality while simultaneously reducing weight, increasing their operational lifetime, or significantly lowering overall production costs, especially given their critical nature. This is precisely where Velo3D’s advanced solutions come into play, providing the capabilities to meet these exacting requirements. Our technology allows for the creation of previously unmanufacturable geometries that can enhance performance characteristics such as improved cooling channels, reduced weight through optimized lattice structures, and consolidated assemblies, all contributing to the ultimate success of the mission.

As such, Velo3D primarily seeks customers who are actively looking to produce high-value, end-use parts on our state-of-the-art machines. Our core objective is to facilitate the adoption of our advanced technology, enabling these customers to manufacture superior parts for their specific, often demanding, applications. We are not primarily focused on early-stage research and development or mere prototyping. While our systems can certainly be used for such activities, the true and most significant value of our integrated solutions is realized when a customer is ready to fully adopt additive manufacturing technologies for the production of their final, functional components. This focus ensures that our resources and expertise are directed towards helping businesses achieve tangible, production-ready results that drive innovation and competitive advantage in their respective industries, transforming designs into reliable, high-performance end-use products.

The Power of Velo3D’s Integrated Laser Powder Bed Fusion Solution

At Velo3D, we pride ourselves on offering what we define as a truly fully integrated metal additive manufacturing solution. This goes far beyond simply providing sophisticated hardware. Our comprehensive ecosystem encompasses every critical aspect of the production workflow. It begins with our proprietary Flow™ Print Preparation Software, a powerful and intuitive solution developed entirely by Velo3D. This software empowers users to seamlessly transition from an initial CAD file through intelligent preparation and optimization, ensuring the part is perfectly configured for printing. Flow™ leverages an extensive suite of predefined and rigorously revision-controlled parameter sets, meticulously preparing the build file to guarantee consistent, high-quality, and highly repeatable results across all our machines. This robust software foundation is a cornerstone of our ability to produce complex parts reliably.

Naturally, the core of our offering includes our advanced printers. We boast an impressive range of Sapphire® printers, designed to accommodate diverse production needs and part sizes. This lineup extends from the standard Sapphire®, ideal for various applications with its optimized build plate, to the Sapphire XC (Extra Capacity), which significantly increases throughput and build volume. For truly large-scale industrial applications, we offer the Sapphire XC 1MZ solution, capable of building parts up to a meter in height. A key advantage across this entire range is the uniformity of our software; all Sapphire® platforms utilize the same robust software ecosystem. This ensures seamless scalability and transferability, meaning a user can initiate development on a standard Sapphire® and effortlessly transition to a Sapphire XC or Sapphire XC 1MZ for larger-scale production without re-qualifying processes. Finally, completing this powerful package is our Assure™ Quality Control Software. This innovative system collects and analyzes data both before and continuously during the print process, providing customers with comprehensive, real-time visibility into the quality of their 3D printed part at every stage. This continuous monitoring and data-driven approach are critical for ensuring that stringent industry standards and quality benchmarks are consistently met, reinforcing the reliability of every component produced.

One of the most significant capabilities that allows Velo3D to help customers produce parts previously deemed unmanufacturable is our unique ability to print geometries with much lower angles and significantly flatter features compared to other systems on the market. This revolutionary freedom from conventional design constraints means our users face far fewer limitations, particularly when it comes to realizing highly complex internal structures, optimized cooling channels, and lightweighting designs that were once impossible to produce additively without extensive support structures or post-processing. Another critical factor, as previously mentioned, is the unparalleled data visibility and validation provided by our integrated software suite. This continuous feedback loop ensures the quality of each printed part and drives a cycle of continuous improvement in our solutions, leading to higher success rates and greater confidence in production.

Considering the immense benefits of large-scale 3D printing, especially with Velo3D’s capabilities, the advantages become even more pronounced. In traditional manufacturing, a single application often requires the production of numerous discrete parts, which are then laboriously assembled to form the final component. However, with a build chamber of sufficient size, our technology fundamentally transforms this process. Engineers can now consolidate multiple individual parts into a single, complex component. This “part consolidation” dramatically reduces assembly time and costs, eliminates potential failure points associated with joints and welds, and often results in a lighter, stronger, and more efficiently performing final product. While aerospace continues to be a sector where we see immense adoption due to the critical nature of its components, our solutions are also gaining significant traction in other demanding industries such as oil & gas, where the ability to produce robust, complex parts for challenging environments offers considerable operational advantages.

Velo3D’s Strategic Expansion into the European Market

My primary objective in my current role is to spearhead and accelerate Velo3D’s strategic expansion across Europe, significantly broadening our footprint in this vital region. Historically, Velo3D has achieved substantial success and established a strong customer base primarily within the United States. However, recognizing the immense potential and alignment of industries, the management team made a pivotal decision at the beginning of last year to aggressively expand into Europe. We identified a striking similarity in key applications and target industries between Europe and our established markets in the US, particularly in sectors such as space, oil & gas, and aerospace. It’s a well-known fact that the second-largest airplane manufacturer globally is European, indicating the profound scale and demand within the region’s aerospace industry. Therefore, the strategic rationale for expanding into Europe was unequivocally strong, presenting a natural and logical next step in our global growth trajectory, allowing us to replicate our proven success models.

Currently, our expansion efforts in Europe are laser-focused on four key markets: the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Italy. In each of these strategic locations, we have diligently established dedicated local teams. These teams are comprised of skilled professionals who not only possess deep technical expertise but also speak the local language. This localized approach is critical to ensuring that we provide the high level of support and seamless communication that our customers expect and deserve. Across these markets, we are rigorously targeting industries that align with our core strengths. We have already cultivated a robust presence and demonstrated capabilities in the space and aerospace sectors, making it a logical progression to engage with the major aviation companies throughout Europe. Furthermore, in light of the current global geopolitical challenges, there is an unprecedented and urgent pressure on the oil & gas industry to innovate rapidly and enhance efficiency. Our advanced additive manufacturing solutions offer tangible benefits in this sector, enabling increased productivity, optimized part performance, and reduced lead times, which is why this is another significant area where we are actively developing and deploying our technology. These strategic initiatives define our current and immediate focus for European market penetration and growth.

Discover Velo3D at Formnext: Innovations and New Possibilities

Formnext stands as an exceptionally important event on our calendar, providing an invaluable platform for us to connect directly with key industry stakeholders, potential customers, and users who are keenly interested in understanding and adopting our advanced metal additive manufacturing technology. We are thrilled to announce that we will be showcasing an exciting and diverse selection of products and applications at our booth. Attendees can expect a comprehensive display of our capabilities, including an impressive array of demo parts. These demonstrations will notably highlight the capabilities of our larger machines, illustrating how Velo3D empowers the production of exceptionally complex and sizeable components that redefine manufacturing possibilities. Examples from across our entire suite of integrated solutions will be prominently featured, offering a clear visual understanding of our transformative technology.

Beyond showcasing our existing capabilities, we are particularly excited to unveil some significant advancements in new materials, demonstrating their application in conjunction with large parts. Visitors to our booth will have the opportunity to explore a copper alloy product, highlighting its unique thermal and electrical properties, as well as an application featuring M300 Tool Steel, Velo3D’s latest qualified material, which offers exceptional hardness and wear resistance for demanding industrial uses. We are eager to demonstrate why Velo3D initially embarked on its transformative journey within the highly rigorous Aerospace and Space industries, showcasing the foundational precision and reliability that characterize our technology. Concurrently, we will illustrate the remarkable breadth of our expansion, demonstrating how our solutions are now successfully being applied across a diverse range of sectors, including heavy industry, power generation, oil & gas, automotive, tooling, and many more. All these innovative applications and materials will, of course, be on full display, providing tangible proof of our versatility. Our overarching goal is to convey that Velo3D is uniquely equipped to assist any organization, regardless of their specific requirements, in achieving their most challenging goals in advanced metal additive manufacturing.

A Final Message from Velo3D: Unlock Your Manufacturing Potential

When I have the opportunity to speak with individuals who may not be fully familiar with Velo3D’s extensive capabilities, I often encapsulate our core value proposition in a concise statement: if you are facing significant manufacturing challenges in producing critical parts – parts where there can be absolutely no compromise on design integrity, uncompromising quality, or superior performance – or if your organization is actively working towards establishing a robust and distributed manufacturing process for essential spare parts, then we strongly encourage you to engage with us. At Velo3D, we are confident that we possess the innovative solutions and expertise required to help you overcome these complex challenges and realize your manufacturing objectives. We invite you to visit us at Booth #12.0-D01 at Formnext to discuss your specific needs in detail. You can also explore more about our cutting-edge, fully integrated metal additive manufacturing solutions and their transformative potential by visiting our website HERE.

What are your thoughts on Velo3D’s innovative approach to metal additive manufacturing and their ambitious expansion plans? We welcome your comments and insights below, or connect with us on ourLinkedIn,Facebook, andTwitter pages! Don’t forget to sign up for our free weeklyNewsletter to receive the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox! You can also find all our compelling videos on ourYouTube channel, showcasing the power of additive manufacturing in action.

*Cover Photo Credits: Velo3D