Accuron Technologies invests in WAAM3D, accelerates growth

By OEM Update Editorial January 5, 2024 11:34 am IST

Accuron Technologies strengthens its commitment to wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) by acquiring a majority interest in WAAM3D Ltd, showcasing confidence in the technology’s prospects for revolutionizing manufacturing across industries.

Accuron Technologies, a precision engineering and technology group, makes additional investments and acquires a majority interest in its associate company, WAAM3D Ltd (WAAM3D). The latest investment underscores the commitment of Accuron to WAAM3D, and its confidence in the prospects for wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) in the manufacturing landscape. 

“We are excited about our journey with WAAM3D,” said TAN Kai Hoe, Group CEO & President of Accuron Technologies. “As the company’s first strategic investor when it was spun out of Cranfield University, we provided additional resources to support its growth as the company developed. I see this as a testament of the shared belief the founders and we have in the company, as well as the mutual trust we have developed over the past years.” 

He added, “In addition to providing financial support, Accuron’s industrial expertise and network also help to accelerate the company’s technology, product, and business development, but we think it takes a village to raise a child. Indeed, we look forward to working with partners and customers in a long-term relationship to bring this innovative, energy-efficient, and disruptive WAAM technology to key manufacturing industries. I am convinced WAAM will enable us to serve these industries to shape better lives.”

WAAM3D was founded in 2018 by Cranfield University as a spin-out company to commercialise WAAM technology developed by its world leading research group in this area.  The aim of the company is to provide industry with the ability to manufacture parts using the technology. In late 2019, Accuron provided initial investment funding for WAAM3D’s transition into an independent entity. Since then, WAAM3D has successfully developed complete turnkey solutions, by in-house development and strategic partnerships, to address their customers’ needs for WAAM equipment, dedicated software, wires, parts, and part-making expertise. WAAM3D continues to work closely with Cranfield University, to ensure that the company’s products and services are always at the forefront of new technological innovation in wire-based direct energy deposition additive manufacturing (w-DED AM).

Using advanced WAAM techniques, WAAM3D allows manufacturers in the aerospace, oil and gas, mining, semiconductor, and other industries to make large-format parts with greater design freedom, lower costs, lower environmental footprint, and shorter lead times. 

WAAM3D and Accuron have also established Addept3D, a Singapore-based WAAM application centre. This joint venture seeks to develop and advance the technical expertise necessary to implement WAAM for parts manufacturing in Singapore and the surrounding region.