Proto Labs, a global technology-enabled digital manufacturing specialist, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 3D Hubs, an online manufacturing platform that provides engineers with on-demand access to a global network of approximately 240 manufacturing partners. According to 3D Hubs, the transaction creates the world’s most comprehensive digital production offer for custom parts, providing the company with a network of manufacturing partners to fulfil a breadth of capabilities outside of its current envelope, as well as a broader offering of pricing and lead-time options.

For further information www.hubs.com

The VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association) has acquired a minority stake in Munich-based Spanflug Technologies GmbH. This ambitious start-up has been operating since 2018 and is a spin-out from the Institute for Machine Tools and Industrial Management (iwb) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). Spanflug aims to automate the quotation and parts procurement processes for manufacturers. The firm provides a platform on which customers can interact with suppliers and process their orders, and software that suppliers can use to generate their offers automatically.

For further information
www.vdw.de

BCN3D, an additive manufacturing provider of 3D printing solutions, closed 2020 with record growth, appointing 11 new sales partners and doubling its number of employees. Additional achievements during the past year include €2.8m of investment, launching a full new product portfolio, and moving to new facilities. In order to support this expansion, BCN3D hired 70 new employees during 2020, effectively doubling its team. Now reaching a total of 150 staff, the company relocated to a new plant near Barcelona to allow for more space dedicated to the production of its 3D printing solutions.

For further information www.bcn3d.com

Following strong organic growth in US markets, Pemamek has delivered a Pema VRWP-C robot welding station to the LaShip shipyard in Louisiana. The Pema VRWP-C robot station is a compact solution to automate micro-panel welding, but also other small-to-medium-sized assemblies. The basis of the system is Pema WeldControl 200, which Pemamek says enables easy weld-path creation and robot programming. Additionally, thanks to the station’s compact size, commissioning and ramp-up is possible within one week.

For further information
www.pemamek.com

Bumax has recently invested several million SEK in three new state-of-the-art machines to further enhance its operations. Two bolt-pointing machines and one flat-die thread-rolling machine have arrived at the company’s headquarters in Åshammar following a year of planning and preparation. “The machines replace five older semi-manual pointing and thread-rolling machines, and enable us to produce fasteners even more efficiently and safely,” explains Anders Sjölund, who is both manager of the company’s service and maintenance function, and project manager.

For further information www.bumax-fasteners.com