Materialise has announced the launch of a 3D printing advisory service to give businesses impartial insights into the integration of additive manufacturing technology.

Mindware will offer strategic, tailored and technology-neutral advice to companies who are considering implementing 3D printing to address challenges within their business. This advice will cover a range of disciplines, from R&D and design to process engineering, and a range of industries, from medical to aerospace.

The service has been developed in a bid to address one of 3D printing’s most frequently cited barriers to adoption, the lack of knowledge about the processes, with Materialise harnessing its deep expertise as one of the oldest 3D printing companies around and its tradition of staying technology agnostic and vendor neutral.

Last year, Materialise conducted a survey which found while nearly 50% expected their application of 3D printing double in the next five years, 41% counted their lack of expertise as a major hurdle. And this year, with the COVID-19 pandemic likely to limit the size and volume of technology investments, Materialise has sought to deploy a team of business strategists, backed up by a network of experts within the company’s employee base of 2,000, to support companies in integrating 3D printing technology.

“3D printing offers unique opportunities for businesses looking to gain or maintain a competitive edge, while keeping investment risk low. It is critical, however, to tap into a source that is both knowledgeable and unbiased,” commented Bart Van der Schueren, Chief Technology Officer at Materialise. “3D printing covers a range of technologies which are ideally suited to varying applications and neutrality is key in ensuring that the right technologies are chosen in each context.

“We have spent the past three decades working out how to make 3D printing efficient, reliable, meaningful and scalable. Now, we’re sharing our know-how and capabilities to assist businesses. Hardware and software are critical ingredients, but nothing substitutes the right know-how. Unbiased advisory is in the Materialise DNA and I believe where we can really make a difference for our customers is Mindware.”

Van Der Schueren will formally introduce the Mindware advisory service via a live webinar on May 20 at 14:00 CEST. 

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