During the Paris Airshow Bionic Production AG and Leistritz Turbinentechnik GmbH have signed a letter of intent for a strategic partnership. Goal of the partnership is to enable Leistritz to apply additive manufacturing, and to open up new business fields for both companies.

Additive manufacturing, when compared to traditional manufacturing methods, explicitly offers a higher design freedom and enables design enhancements as well as a quick creation of prototypes and components. In particular turbine technology, where very complex component geometries are used, can benefit from the cost efficiency and superior design opportunities additive manufacturing offers.

The strategic partnership will include joint development activities that will increase the manufacturing capacities of both partners as well as joint marketing activities. The collaboration and the support of Bionic Production AG will enable Leistritz Turbinentechnik GmbH to quickly develop the needed know-how and hence provide the company's customers with cost efficient and better products. Bionic Production in return expects to leverage the cooperation with Leistritz Turbinentechnik for the development of new markets.

"We used additive methods to jointly manufacture a very complex component and successfully carried out all required refinishing tasks and quality tests," said Klaus Mueller, CCO Bionic Production. "This partnership offers us the opportunity to bundle our competencies and to jointly conquer new markets."

"The advantages of the process became obvious right after we had produced the first components and we'll identify additional potential as we go along," adds Hans-Christian Melzer, Director Business Development at Leistritz Turbinentechnik. "We will be able to address a broader customer base and enhance our manufacturing and product spectrum. We will follow-up with this thoroughly."