Oerlikon is expanding its global additive manufacturing sector with a new 3D printing facility in the Charlotte metro area in North Carolina. The company, which manufactures metal components in materials such as high-strength stainless steels, nickel-based alloys and cobalt-based alloys, has said that the new site will focus on advanced components and cater for production processes, and research and development.
Oerlikon will invest around USD $55 million in the facility over the next two years. The new site will offer US industrial customers a single source for a full suite of integrated services for end-to-end advanced component manufacturing, from R&D, design and series production, to post processing. While the facility will not be fully operational until 2018, Oerlikon will become active in the region later this year, working from an interim location.