MetalWorm, a Turkish producer of robotic Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing techniques, has efficiently deployed two of its machines at tutorial establishments on reverse sides of the world: the Federal Institute of Maranhão in Brazil and Universiti Pertahanan Nasional in Malaysia. Each installations mark real firsts for his or her respective areas, and each sign one thing larger than a pair of kit gross sales.
The corporate itself has an uncommon origin story. MetalWorm has been working since 2015, born as a spin-off from a big, 170-person welding firm that wished to enter the additive manufacturing market. Its first industrial WAAM system was publicly launched at Formnext 2022, when MetalWorm was formally included as a standalone entity, itself a spin-off of Intecro Robotics. In only a few years, the corporate went from a commerce honest debut to installations throughout three continents.
Its shopper record already consists of gamers from the aerospace and vitality sectors, and extra lately Turkish armored automobile producers Otokar and FNSS, in addition to nationwide rocket program participant Roketsan. The Brazil and Malaysia deployments symbolize a distinct chapter: increasing past industrial and protection purchasers into tutorial analysis, and doing it in markets the place WAAM had barely existed earlier than.
Maranhão, Brazil: from funding utility to first check elements
The Brazilian set up didn’t transfer as rapidly as one would possibly anticipate. Discussions between MetalWorm and the Federal Institute of Maranhão started again in 2023. IFMA first needed to apply for mission funding, and the approval course of ran till the second quarter of 2025. After the official buy order was positioned, the system was ready for manufacturing unit acceptance testing inside six months, then shipped by sea to Brazil. It arrived roughly three months later. Set up and coaching took a couple of weeks, and the machine was absolutely operational shortly after.
IFMA is an establishment with a historical past courting again to 1909, enjoying a key position in engineering training, technical analysis, and industrial purposes throughout Brazil. It affords each undergraduate and graduate applications with a powerful utilized focus, and the brand new WAAM system matches immediately into that philosophy. Its major function is hands-on scholar coaching and tutorial analysis, however the scope doesn’t cease there. The institute additionally plans to make use of the machine for industrial half manufacturing, concentrating on native sectors together with vitality, mining, and maritime.
The put in system is a compact robotic WAAM cell with a construct quantity of 1000 x 500 x 700 mm. It includes a dual-station working idea, permitting the operator to work on two elements concurrently. In WAAM, this issues, as a result of the method generates important warmth enter and materials wants time to chill between layers. Fairly than ready, the operator merely strikes to the second station and continues constructing one other half. In keeping with MetalWorm, this dual-station method for WAAM techniques is a world first.
That is additionally, to the most effective of obtainable data, the primary WAAM system put in in the whole state of Maranhão, and one among solely a handful in Brazil. MetalWorm’s native accomplice, Wietech 3D, is already working promotional actions within the area, encouraging different universities to undertake comparable options. IFMA itself has not waited round. Take a look at elements have already been produced on the brand new machine, and the institute’s group is actively working towards its first tutorial publications utilizing the system. Early outcomes are being shared publicly by the establishment’s LinkedIn profile.
Malaysia: protection analysis and a nationwide first
The Malaysian set up moved significantly quicker. MetalWorm obtained preliminary contact from Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia in early 2025, and the official buy order adopted roughly six months later. System manufacturing and manufacturing unit acceptance testing took one other six months, delivery took two months, and on-site set up and coaching wrapped up in two weeks. The machine was operational earlier than the 12 months was out.
UPNM, the Nationwide Protection College of Malaysia, has a transparent and particular mandate for the brand new system. The college is concentrated on analysis into WAAM-based manufacturing processes for protection purposes. Excessive on the precedence record are armored automobile parts and the restore and remanufacturing of broken elements. These are areas the place WAAM holds a transparent benefit: excessive materials deposition charges, the flexibility to work throughout a variety of metals, and no want for the assist constructions required by powder-based processes.
The system put in at UPNM is bigger than the one in Brazil. On the positioner, it accommodates elements as much as 1000 mm in diameter and 2000 mm in peak, with a most half weight of 1000 kg. On the fastened desk, it handles geometries as much as 1000 x 1500 x 2000 mm. Attaining these dimensions at comparable price is solely not possible with most different steel additive processes.
That is, to MetalWorm’s data, the primary WAAM system put in wherever in Malaysia. The corporate’s native accomplice, Pebblereka 3D, is already working to increase that attain additional, concentrating on extra universities, analysis establishments, and personal sector corporations throughout the area. UPNM itself plans to collaborate with neighboring tutorial establishments on WAAM analysis, with the long-term aim of constructing a regional data base across the know-how.
WAAM attracts a brand new map
Each installations share one thing past the know-how itself. Brazil and Malaysia are markets that the Western additive manufacturing trade has largely handled as secondary. MetalWorm, approaching each from Ankara moderately than Frankfurt or Boston, has discovered a real benefit right here. The weak spot of the Turkish lira means MetalWorm’s techniques may be as much as 30% inexpensive than comparable machines bought from exterior Turkey. Paired with parts from acknowledged suppliers corresponding to Beckhoff, HiWin, and Siemens, this creates a proposal that’s aggressive not simply on value, however on high quality.
The corporate designs and manufactures its personal positioners in-house, integrates its personal software program for real-time course of monitoring and management, and configures every system to particular person buyer wants. Each put in techniques come outfitted with proprietary software program that permits operators to plan, monitor, and management the method, with dwell sensor and digicam knowledge displayed on display throughout manufacturing.
Set up by set up, a map of WAAM adoption is taking form, one that appears nothing just like the one drawn by the established market leaders. Turkey to Brazil, Turkey to Malaysia, with the vitality, protection, and maritime sectors ready additional down the road. The brand new geography of superior steel manufacturing could become someplace nobody fairly anticipated.