Driving up EU policy-makers’ interest in additive manufacturing technologies

MEPs from the Legal Affairs and Industry, Research and Energy committees, alongside European Commission officials, visited the headquarters of Materialise on 12 April. The Leuven-based firm is one of Europe’s leading players in the field of additive manufacturing (AM).
The visit followed the success of the previous one, which was held in January 2018, and is part of awareness-raising activities about the potential of additive techniques in production. CECIMO runs the visit, together with notable AM companies such as HP, Materialise, Evonik, Henkel and BASF.
After an opening presentation by the organisers on the advantages of AM compared to traditional manufacturing methods, guests had the opportunity to see for themselves how different kinds of 3D printers (or additive machines) work, as well as their possible applications.
Additive manufacturing – otherwise known as 3D printing – is seen as a disruptive technology that can profoundly innovate existing production methods and boost the competitiveness, innovation and sustainability of the European industrial base.