Materialise, a global leader in additive manufacturing (AM) software and service solutions, announced the opening of an Aerospace Competence Center in the Aerospace Innovation Hub in Delft.

By joining the Aerospace Innovation Hub in Delft, Materialise brings additive manufacturing expertise to the growing aerospace community

Materialise, a global leader in additive manufacturing (AM) software and service solutions, announced the opening of an Aerospace Competence Center in the Aerospace Innovation Hub in Delft. The city is a known aerospace powerhouse in Europe, and Materialise is the first AM company to establish its footprint in the hub.

From left to right: Niels Krol, Sr. Account Manager Aerospace, Aerospace Delta; Maaike Zwart, Vice Mayor, City of Delft; Brigitte de Vet-Veithen, CEO, Materialise; Henri Werij, Dean of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, TU Delft; Femke Verdegaal, Strategic Partnership Manager Aerospace Engineering, TU Delft / Aerospace Innovation Hub

“The opening of our new Aerospace Competence Center aligns with our commitment to support the aerospace industry through more than three decades of experience in additive manufacturing and software solutions, as well as our pioneering role in producing certified parts,” said Brigitte de Vet-Veithen, CEO of Materialise. “By joining this selective aerospace network, we can strengthen our capabilities, expand partnerships, and enable other aerospace leaders in this hub to accelerate innovation and explore new possibilities with AM.”

Materialise is a pioneer and market leader in the development and production of 3D-printed parts used in the aerospace sector. The company has delivered more than 500,000 3D-printed aerospace parts, with about 4,000 different types of parts printed per year.

“We are proud to welcome Materialise to Delft, a city where innovation and collaboration thrive,” says Vice Mayor Maaike Zwart of the City of Delft. “By joining the Aerospace Innovation Hub, Materialise strengthens our dynamic Aerospace Delta ecosystem and the Innovation District Delft, paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in 3D printing and sustainable aviation. I’m truly excited to see the partnerships, ideas, and innovations that will grow from your presence here. Together, we are shaping the future of technology.”

Materialise CEO Brigitte de Vet speaking into a microphone at the opening of Materialise's Aerospace Competence Center
Vice Mayor Maaike Zwart of the City of Delft speaking into a microphone at the opening of Materialise's Aerospace Competence Center
Henri Werij, Dean of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering TU Delft, speaking into a microphone at the opening of Materialise's Aerospace Competence Center

As the largest AM service provider for aerospace, Materialise holds a comprehensive set of flight-ready accreditations, including Production Organization Approval (POA) from EASA and EN 9100 certified manufacturing for flying parts. It serves the entire aerospace value chain, from OEMs to airlines and MROs to supplier tiers.

The Aerospace Innovation Hub @TU Delft fosters innovation by connecting startups, students, academics, government, and industry professionals in the heart of TU Delft’s Aerospace Engineering Faculty. Materialise and @TU Delft will collaborate on projects where students and researchers can gain hands-on experience with AM while advancing developments in sustainable aviation. Materialise joins industry giants Airbus and Collins Aerospace, among others, at the Hub.

“At TU Delft, our mission is to create impact for a better society through education, research, life-long learning, and innovation. With the Aerospace Innovation Hub, we support this mission by accelerating innovations and bringing them to market. The arrival of Materialise at the Hub marks an exciting step toward deeper collaboration and new opportunities to drive additive manufacturing expertise to the growing aerospace community,” said Henri Werij, Dean of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering TU Delft.

Crowd of attendees at the opening of Materialise's Aerospace Competence Center at TU Delft
Materialise CEO Brigitte de Vet receiving a gift of a model airplane at the opening of Materialise's Aerospace Competence Center

Additive manufacturing has proven to be an effective technology for solving long-standing industry challenges. It offers supply chain advantages, including shorter lead times and more affordable small series. AM aircraft parts can reduce stock risk, warehousing costs, and downtime related to repairs and maintenance.

The technology also enables unrivaled design freedom by offering fast-iteration design, rapid prototyping, and the ability to rethink components and assemblies without retooling manufacturing operations.

In addition to existing certified processes for aerospace, Materialise helps companies develop and qualify new AM applications and materials. The company also maintains a data lake that provides access to performance data from hundreds of aerospace builds, enabling users to make informed decisions based on real-life components.

Pictures are available for download here

About Materialise

Materialise incorporates more than three decades of 3D printing experience into a range of software solutions and 3D printing services that empower sustainable 3D printing applications. Our open, secure, and flexible end-to-end solutions enable industrial manufacturing and mass personalization in various industries — including healthcare, automotive, aerospace, eyewear, art and design, wearables, and consumer goods. Headquartered in Belgium and with branches worldwide, Materialise combines the largest group of software developers in the industry with one of the world’s largest and most complete 3D printing facilities

About Aerospace Innovation Hub @ TU Delft

The Aerospace Innovation Hub is the premier aerospace innovation and entrepreneurship community in the Netherlands, based at TU Delft’s Faculty of Aerospace Engineering. By connecting researchers, students, government, and industry, the hub creates a dynamic ecosystem where knowledge, technology, and entrepreneurship converge. It offers networking opportunities, mentorship, office space, and direct access to TU Delft researchers and talent. The Aerospace Innovation Hub drives innovation in the aerospace sector, with a focus on sustainability, efficiency, and cutting-edge technology.
Learn more: www.aerospaceinnovationhub.nl

In de ruimtevaart moeten onderdelen extreme omstandigheden kunnen doorstaan. Men kan immers niet even langs om onderhoud te plegen. Met dit in het achterhoofd werken ingenieurs op het scherpst van de snede om het meeste uit de materialen te halen. Met een investering van € 350.000 vanuit VroegeFaseFinanciering powered by UNIIQ kan Arceon haar nieuwe hittebestendige materialen verder ontwikkelen en op de markt brengen, waardoor ingenieurs weer verder kunnen innoveren. De investering is bekendgemaakt door Martijn Leinweber, COO & Community Manager van SBIC Noordwijk.

De Delftse startup Arceon ontwikkelt speciale composieten die tegen extreem hoge temperaturen bestand zijn (>1500 °C). Deze composieten, met o.a. carbon erin verwerkt, zijn ook nog eens veel lichter dan de huidige gebruikte alternatieven, die uit speciale metalen bestaan. De zogenaamde Ceramic Matrix Composites van Arceon kunnen nu dus al goed gebruikt worden in o.a. straalmotoren van satellieten. In de toekomst worden ook toepassingen als hitteschilden voor ruimtevaartuigen, die door de dampkring terug naar aarde komen, mogelijk.

Arceon maakt het produceren van deze CMC’s daarnaast ook nog eens op schaal mogelijk met een aantal innovaties in het productieproces. Aan het roer van Arceon staan founders Rahul Shirke en Rahul Sharma, die specialistische kennis hebben van dit type materialen in de spacesector. Het team wordt versterkt  door de jarenlange ervaring van co-founder Bernhard Heidenreich. Het bedrijf bezit hierdoor al een patent op het in-situ combineren van kleinere subsegmenten van de technologie. Hierdoor kunnen met veel groter gemak, en zonder additionele proces fouten, complexe vormen gemaakt worden door kleinere te combineren. Dit verlaagt niet alleen de doorlooptijd significant, maar maakt ook de kwaliteit beter te beheren. Hierdoor hebben ingenieurs vele malen meer vrijheid in hun ontwerpen.

Met de UNIIQ-investering gaat Arceon een aantal initiële producten op de markt zetten in samenwerking met een aantal pilot- en launchingklanten. Daarnaast gaat het bedrijf toepassingen in andere markten onderzoeken, het team uitbreiden met 3 FTE en benodigde apparatuur in-house halen.

Source: InnovationQuarter