EOS
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EOS has announced the acquisition of Vulcan Labs, a powder bed fusion additive manufacturing (AM) company spun out of Stratasys last year.
The deal will see Vulcan Labs engineers deployed to develop and commercialise the Integra P 400 machine, launched by EOS North America in December 2018, while an engineering service group has also been set up to assist EOS customers in developing applications.
This machine, which is only currently available in North America, has been ordered by around a dozen organisations, and has been brought to market to address high-quality, mid-temperature applications. It boasts a 420 x 420 x 500 mm build area with a single laser (120W or 70W), and can process materials such as high-performance TPU, TPE, and a newly developed HT-23 material. It is also said to have 'simplified serviceability' and up to 50% scanning speed increase. The platform will be showcased at both the AMUG Conference and RAPID + TCT trade show this spring, with the acquisition of Vulcan Labs helping EOS to make the machine more widely available.
Vulcan Labs engineers will work out of EOS’ technical centre in Pflugerville, TX and the company’s ALM materials research and production facility in Temple, TX. The acquisition has been likened to ‘striking the AM talent jackpot’ by Glynn Fletcher, EOS North America President, while David Leigh, former Vulcan Labs CEO, believes the alignment of the two companies will mean greater chance of success in AM adoption.
“This acquisition illustrates our commitment to providing the best support for our customers, while continuously challenging the market through internal and external disruption,” commented Fletcher. “Additive manufacturing is advanced manufacturing and it is not as easy as simply pushing a print button. With that sophistication, our job becomes helping ensure our customers are productive and successful, and that sometimes requires non-standard solutions, customised to very specific applications. With this acquisition of top AM industry talent, we have now formed an entirely dedicated engineering services group solely focused on these types of requirements.”
“The time is perfect to join EOS and Vulcan Labs. Industrial 3D printing is still relatively new, but it has moved from the theoretical to the practical,” added Leigh, now the Chief Operating Officer, EOS North America. “As organisations wrestle to integrate AM into their production chain, industry-leading experts like EOS are what will make the difference between struggle or success. That success requires a stable of experts and a robust ecosystem of partners. Vulcan Labs augments existing EOS know-how and sets us apart bringing unique, high-value solutions to our customers.”
