Italy’s national association for machine tools, robots and automation systems, UCIMU-Sistemi Per Produrre, is predicting recovery in the year ahead. According to forecasts developed by UCIMU, production should grow to €5795m (+16.6% versus 2021), driven by the recovery of exports, which should amount to €3220m (+11.8%), and by an increase in deliveries of Italian manufacturers to the domestic market, which should rise to €2575m (+23.2%). Consumption should also regain its dynamism, registering a 23.3% upturn and reaching €4175m, while UCIMU expects imports to attain €1600m (+23.6%).

For further information www.ucimu.it

DMG Mori has selected Sigma Labs Inc, a developer of quality-assurance software for the commercial metal 3D-printing industry, as the preferred melt-pool monitoring system supplier for its LaserTec SLM machines. Engineering teams from both companies worked extensively to test the integrated solution, ensuring that it meets the needs of industrial manufacturers utilising DMG Mori’s family of metal 3D printers. DMG Mori will be providing an interface with its printers so that the systems are PrintRite3D ready. The terms of the agreement remain private between both parties.

For further information
www.sigmalabsinc.com

Collaborative robot (cobot) pioneer Universal Robots (UR) has sold its 50,000th UR cobot to German manufacturer VEMA GmbH. VEMA’s new arrival will join a fleet of three other UR cobots already deployed in pick and place tasks in end-of-line applications at the company. Christian Veser, managing director at VEMA, says: “With UR cobots we have enhanced our productivity remarkably and achieved better quality. Moreover, our employees have been released from ergonomically challenging work to focus on more value-added tasks.”

For further information
www.universal-robots.com

Stratasys has signed an agreement to acquire 3D-printing start-up Origin Inc in a transaction for total consideration of up to $100m, including cash and stock. The merger enables Stratasys to expand its business through innovation in the fast-growing mass production parts segment with a next-generation photopolymer platform. Stratasys expects Origin’s proprietary Programmable PhotoPolymerisation (P3) technology to be an important growth engine for the company, adding up to $200m in incremental annual revenue within five years. The company plans a full global launch by mid-2021.

For further information www.stratasys.com

Trumpf has completed the renaming and merger of its wholly-owned fibre laser manufacturing subsidiary SPI Lasers, into the Trumpf group and under the Trumpf brand. Effective from 28 November, the Southampton, UK-based company SPI Lasers UK Ltd will operate under the name Trumpf Laser UK Ltd. In addition, the companies SPI USA and SPI Korea have been merged with local companies Trumpf USA and Trumpf Korea, respectively, effective 1 November and 1 December. Trumpf merged the SPI subsidiary in China with Trumpf China back in April 2020.

For further information
www.spilasers.com