Through open collaboration, it is helping manufacturers to build confidence in performance, quality, and repeatability, while allowing customers to integrate new AM technologies with their existing solutions, tools and workflows. Hexagon's AM ecosystem offers customers a broad spectrum of solutions as a result of working closely with material suppliers (e.g., Solvay, COVESTRO), printer and machine-tool companies (e.g., Stratasys, Markforged, Renishaw, Additive Industries, Sciaky, GEFERTEC, Meltio), software and platform providers (e.g., Authentise, CADS Additive, Elise), and service bureaus. Instead, open data standards should be seen as a growth enabler.'

'Just as large manufacturers drove the provision of open factory automation, it's important we vendors now break down barriers to new manufacturing technologies that offer more flexibility and efficiency.

Paolo Guglielmini, president of Hexagon's Manufacturing Intelligence division, said: 'Far from Industry 4.0 creating a ´connected´ end-to-end supply chain, today many 3D printers and protocols are creating ´walled kingdoms´ of hardware that are incompatible with certain CAE tools, and vendors are introducing machines with proprietary connectivity, standards and protocols designed not to work with machinery from rivals. Plans to continue building an open ecosystem from concept to customer with the shared purpose of high quality were revealed at 3D printing industry event Formnext 2021, where the challenges of industrialising AM have been at the forefront of discussions. With several new additions to the ecosystem announced this week alone - Sciaky, Meltio, CADS Additive, AMcubator and Additive Center - and many more under way, Hexagon's suite of AM partners and products is becoming one of the most comprehensive on the market. Formnext, Frankfurt am Main, 17 November 2021 - Hexagon's Manufacturing Intelligence division has revealed its plans to build the industry's most flexible and open additive manufacturing (AM) ecosystem to help overcome complexities in 3D printing processes and support customers in effectively building their product development and manufacturing workflows.

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