Leading Belgian magazine "Trends" published rewarding article about Melotte

http://www.melotte.be/MELOTTE/EN/COMPANY/NEWS/29092009.htm

With a technology to produce machine parts from powder Melotte shifts the paradigm on industrial traditions of metal manufacturing in Zonhoven (Belgium). So revolutionary that even low-wage countries cannot compete.

In Zonhoven Melotte’s CEO, Mr Mario Fleurinck, points at the laser robot that in no time produces precision machine parts, cardiac valves and other medical implants layer by layer from fine titanium powder, called Layered Manufacturing.

Direct Digital Manufacturing (DDM) is part of Melotte’s strategic diversification and is considered an innovative complement to the existing high-precision production apparatus. The company works on projects for customers from US, South-Africa, Saudi-Arabia, Malaysia and even China where DDM serves integrally finished products.
The DDM experience of Melotte demonstrates that industrial production flocking to low-wage countries can be considerably reduced by working on an efficient innovation model with interference in design and production methods.
“As digital factory Melotte uses technology which will be very common within fifteen to twenty years.” So the next years Melotte’s CEO wants to go further and build a complete new industrial sector. Surely it is not his intention to produce for the whole world in Zonhoven because this would be contradictory to the vision that materials as well as products need to be transported as little as possible. For that reason subsidiaries will be set up worldwide under Melotte’s flag in order to produce parts close to the end user.

Terry Wohlers from Colorado, an authority in additive or layered manufacturing calls the performance of Melotte impressive. Therefore he invites Mr Fleurinck as guest speaker on the 11th Annual International Wohlers Conference “The Future of Additive Manufacturing” in Frankfurt on December 4 next.

See http://www.euromold.com/index.php?id=115 for more information.

Those of you who are anxious to learn more about Melotte's DDM there is another possibility at MIDEST - Expo 2009 where you can join Mr Fleurinck's lecture about "Direct Digital Manufacturing as Strategic element in advanced Tooling Solutions at Melotte" on Thursday, 19 November 2009 from 4.00 pm till 5.00 pm, l' Espace Conférences 2 (Stand 6 D 7), Paris Nord Villepinte - France.