Additive manufacturing

Metal 3D printing with Fronius Additive and CMT Additive Pro

Wire arc additive manufacturing

The additive manufacturing process for metal 3D printing, also known as wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), enables quick, cost effective, and precise component production. Based on this approach, Fronius Additive is revolutionizing the manufacturing industry.

The wire-based, arc-driven CMT process offers huge design flexibility and the ability to produce complex component geometries, while still delivering high deposition rates. All these benefits make Fronius Additive the ideal choice for prototyping and small batches.

Download the brochure

Advantages

Wide range of materials

Many different materials can be used, including low-alloy steels, aluminum, nickel-based alloys, and stainless steel.

Material efficiency

A layered build-up keeps material usage to the absolute minimum required. This reduces material consumption compared to conventional manufacturing methods.

Print on demand

Spare parts and tools can be produced at any location, on demand as they are required. In addition to incredible time savings and flexibility, the advantage of this method is that it eliminates transport and warehousing.

Reduced production costs

Large, complex tools and casting molds are no longer needed to produce components, significantly speeding up prototype production and subsequently time to market.

Stable process

The Fronius Additive Features optimize the welding process, give you more control over heat input, and make it easier to start welding.

Wide range of materials

Many different materials can be used, including low-alloy steels, aluminum, nickel-based alloys, and stainless steel.

Material efficiency

A layered build-up keeps material usage to the absolute minimum required. This reduces material consumption compared to conventional manufacturing methods.

Print on demand

Reduced production costs

Large, complex tools and casting molds are no longer needed to produce components, significantly speeding up prototype production and subsequently time to market.

Stable process

The Fronius Additive Features optimize the welding process, give you more control over heat input, and make it easier to start welding.

Fronius Additive and Fronius Additive Cell

Custom solutions for your additive manufacturing: Whether it’s top-of-the-line hardware, flexible component manufacturing, or in-depth expertise—wire- and arc-based additive manufacturing places the highest demands on process stability and quality. We offer you maximum flexibility, tailored precisely to your requirements, your internal resources, and your team’s expertise.

Across the board, one thing is certain: With Fronius Additive, you can rely on our CMT arc welding expertise in industrial metal 3D printing.

Additive roboter on transparent background

Fronius Additive: high-end components

For integrators and automation experts: Use our perfectly coordinated Fronius additive equipment as the core of your own system integrations. Take your existing infrastructure to the next level of additive manufacturing and benefit from open connectivity, precise control technology, and our trademark reliability.

Fronius Additive Cell: system cell

For end users and manufacturing companies: With the Fronius Additive Cell, we offer you a turnkey solution that’s ready for immediate use. From the robot mechanics and the thermally optimized clamping system to the software, you receive a validated, complete system from a single source—without the need for time-consuming integration into your manufacturing process.

Systems overview

Prototyping & Manufacturing Center:
Additive services

Everything from a single source with 360° service: Take advantage of our team’s capacity and expertise and outsource your additive manufacturing projects. Experienced experts will handle all aspects of process engineering for you and provide you with solutions that have been thoroughly tested and approved—without any development risk on your part.

Prototyping and additive manufacturing services

Certified for contract manufacturing, we ensure compliance with even the most stringent tolerance limits—for high-performance additive components across various sectors.

We’ll guide you every step of the way—from the initial consultation through development and the feasibility study, to precision prototyping, and all the way to the finished pilot and small-scale production runs.

Ready-to-use additive “recipes”

Process development and parameter optimization: We develop, test, and certify the optimal welding and pressure parameters for your preferred materials. You can license this ready-to-use recipe directly for your own production—so you can start production right away.

CMT—a stable arc with no exceptions

The synergy between stability and flexibility is essential to producing components in additive manufacturing. A reliable welding process and efficient heat management play a critical role.

Thanks to its revolutionary reversing wire movement, the CMT process is extremely stable, making it perfect for additive manufacturing. Layers are built up consistently, evenly, and virtually spatter-free,

ensuring that the welded layers and components produced meet the highest quality standards.

More information about cold metal transfer

CMT Additive Pro—additive features packed into one characteristic

Exclusive features for maximum control in additive manufacturing

We developed the CMT Additive Pro welding characteristics specifically for additive manufacturing. They make it easy to achieve a reproducible uniform layer structure, as well as deal with other challenges.

More constant deposition rate

Thanks to the deposition rate stabilizer, the wire speed remains almost constant throughout the process, allowing you to achieve the desired deposition rate despite varying external influences.

Simplified welding path planning
Optimized transmission of welding parameters
Increased reproducibility

Adjustable heat input

The power correction feature enables heat input at a steady wire speed to be precisely regulated, so you can keep the seam geometry virtually constant, even at higher temperatures.

Less overfill due to improved layer height consistency at connecting points
Improved control of the weld seam flow at the same deposition rate
Energy input can be reduced at higher interpass temperatures

Additional signal for manipulator control and position correction

Initial detection of the CTWD during setup expands the spectrum of available signals. This makes it easier to compare the manipulator position and deposited structure without external sensors.

Welding start in pulsed arc

It’s simple to start welding in pulsed arc, so you can achieve sufficient penetration and adhesion without adjusting the operating point.

Sufficient penetration and adhesion without adjusting the operating point
Layer height is almost constant in the welding start area
Fewer fusion defects

Reverse engineering with Fronius Additive

Spare parts on demand

Supply shortages, discontinued spare parts, or missing CAD data invariably lead to production downtime. When critical components fail, their delivery time affects the productivity of entire plants.

We analyze, digitalize, and reconstruct defective or obsolete original parts and use Fronius Additive to manufacture new components that match the originals as closely as possible. Our Prototyping & Manufacturing Center has the entire process chain covered. The advantages for you include start-to-finish quality assurance and certified component approval—all from a single source.

A ready-to-use component in just four steps

Step 1:

Digitalization and reconstruction

Optical analysis of the original part using 3D scanning and CAD processing.

Step 2:

Process development and programming

Selecting materials, setting parameters, and generating robot-assisted production paths.

Step 3:

Fronius Additive

Contour-tracing material build-up using high-productivity CMT arc technology.

Quality assurance and post-processing

In-house component inspection to NDT Level 3, plus final mechanical finishing (milling) of working surfaces.

1 / 4

Metallurgy and materials testing

An additive-manufactured component is only as good as its final microstructure. At our in-house laboratory, we put your components through a rigorous testing and certification process. From non-destructive cracking tests to scientific microstructural analysis, we guarantee comprehensive quality assurance and maximum reliability—without waiting on external service providers.

Model qualification

Additive-manufactured pressure containers

The entire process chain has been considered for this component, from the design to the final testing and the CE label. The draft European standard prEN 13445-14 was used as the basis for the model qualification. The report on the entire process offers a vivid insight into the performance of metal-based additive manufacturing using arcs.