Stratasys Announces Formation of Vulcan Labs
The Stratasys spin-off is tasked with improving quality, repeatability and efficiency of powder-bed fusion (PBF) additive manufacturing for production.
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Stratasys has announced a new spin-off designed to advance innovation of powder-bed fusion (PBF) additive manufacturing: Vulcan Labs Inc. Vulcan engineers solutions to meet the demands of end-use production applications, aimed at overcoming challenges with productivity, quality and certification. The company’s primary aim is to advance the quality, repeatability and efficiency of PBF technology, initially focusing on metals.
Built as a stand-alone entity that is actively collaborating with application partners, Vulcan Labs will aim to advance the introduction of enhanced PBF-based solutions for production. Solutions currently in development include optimized build environments and multi-laser scan strategies; closed-loop meltpool quality control; auotmated powder handling and in-situ powder quality characterization; and automated build setup and calibration.
Vulcan Labs originates from the 2014 acquisition of the production-oriented service bureau Harvest Technologies, and the company’s management team includes David K. Leigh, an original founder and CEO of Harvest Technologies. As CEO of Vulcan Labs Inc., Leigh brings additive manufacturing expertise specifically aligned with end-use parts applications in industries including aerospace, defense, automotive, and oil & gas.
“We’re extremely excited to continue our long-standing collaboration with Stratasys that began back in 2014. Together, we’ll continue to explore unique solutions that strengthen the production ecosystem across additive manufacturing,” Leigh says. “Our team will bring a unique perspective to solving many of the issues from an end-user perspective. We’re looking forward to delivering new solutions for customers to take control of their applications, while having the tools in place to manage their own quality.”
“Vulcan’s best-in-class team has both the experience and technical know-how necessary to bring PBF into real-world production—a vision perfectly aligned and complementary to our other activities in this space, including Stratasys Direct Manufacturing and our investment in LPW,” says Ilan Levin, Stratasys CEO. “To provide Vulcan with the best path to achieve its vision, we decided to form a new and independent entity, with Stratasys as an equity stakeholder. We are delighted to continue supporting this team and look forward to collaborating with them and their partners to achieve this vision.”
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