Hybrid Manufacturing Machine Ready to Build

The Large Additive Subtractive Integrated Modular Machine (LASIMM) project has announced a major milestone in its development. One of the world’s largest hybrid manufacturing machines, which features unique metal additive and subtractive capabilities, is now ready to build, and will be capable of 3D printing large pieces of metal and large parts and structures for construction.

Reducing costs, improving efficiency and production flexibility are core pillars to improve Europe’s industrial competitiveness. As part of a major initiative to address this, the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program has funded ten partners, including universities, research institutions and other technology providers, to produce a machine that can manufacture components for the most demanding industries, all directly from CAD models.

The machine will now be tested to manufacture demonstrator parts. These have been designed by leading industrial end-users to take the machine’s capabilities to the limit. It features capabilities for additive manufacturing, machining, cold-work, metrology and inspection. These technologies provide the optimum solution for the hybrid manufacturing of large engineering parts and deliver a 20% reduction in time and cost expenditure, as well as a 15% increase in productivity for high-volume additive manufacturing production.

• 20% reduction in time and cost, with respect to the current additive and subtractive processes
• 15% increase in productivity for high-volume additive manufacturing production, with respect to the current additive and subtractive processes
• More flexibility and robustness of the machines
• Reduction of inventory
• Reduction of work floor space
• Localized manufacturing environments and reduced supply chains length
• Contribution to standardization and certification for new hybrid procedures