CTC GmbH (Composite Technology Center GmbH, Stade) and Plataine, a leading provider of Industrial IoT and AI-based optimisation solutions for advanced manufacturing, partnered for optimising production processes of 3D printed parts for the aerospace industry.

CTC GmbH, a pioneer and trailblazer for new manufacturing technologies in the aerospace industry, will manufacture parts for Airbus using Stratasys Fortus 450MC printers. 3D printing (Additive Manufacturing) offers shorter time to market, greater production flexibility, increased quality and cost reduction for certain low-mid volume production series. In order to deliver parts on time at the highest quality, CTC GmbH deployed Plataine's software to digitize, automate and optimise the manufacturing process while collecting sensor and machine data for analytics and smart predictions. The solution optimises spool management & consumption, enhances part traceability, and offers complete visibility and process control. Plataine's IIoT and Digital Assistants offer predictive alerts, actionable insights and real-time recommendations to staff, allowing them to further optimise their operations and proactively deal with production challenges. Meanwhile, all production data is stored forming Digital Threads, recording of the entire production process, from raw material to end-product, creating the basis for the subsequent project phase of applying Plataine's AI capabilities to further improve the process.

"It is our mission to continuously explore innovative technologies in the fields of Industrial Manufacturing, adopting 3D printing (Additive Manufacturing) for series production. We have decided to expand our partnership with Plataine to meet our goal and help us overcome the inherent complexity of 3D Printing and its related operational challenges", said Prof. Dr. Axel Herrmann, CEO at CTC GmbH.

"We are excited to further cooperate with CTC GmbH, supporting their work in Additive Manufacturing mass production", said Avner Ben-Bassat, Plataine's President & CEO. "Plataine's solution manages & optimises complex manufacturing processes, by collecting data from sensors and machines in real time, providing AI-based alerts and optimal recommendations."

Marc Fette, COO at CTC GmbH said: "Despite increased awareness about the potential of connected, industrial-scale 3D printing, in-house 3D printing production processes are often still isolated hubs. Our strategic partnership with Plataine transforms this isolated hub into a productive and integrated facility. Plataine's holistic solution enable us to improve our operational efficiencies with better response time, optimised storage conditions and material consumption management."

"Plataine's solution is an innovative concept that will increase CTC's productivity significantly and enable them to scale up additive manufacturing. Plataine brings an automated, intelligent, end-to-end solution for Additive Manufacturing operations using applications such as tool tracking, material management and shelf-life management", said Amir Ben-Assa, Chief Marketing Officer.