Meltio is strengthening its presence in the Americas with the launch of the Meltio Robot Cell assembled in the United States, providing industrial customers with a turnkey solution for wire-laser metal additive manufacturing. The new offering is designed to support manufacturers seeking faster, more flexible and localized production and repair of metal components across industries including automotive, aerospace, defence, mining, energy, oil and gas and heavy industry.
Wire-laser Directed Energy Deposition (DED) has gained increasing adoption for manufacturing and repairing metal components, enabling companies to reduce lead times, limit material waste and produce parts closer to the point of need. With the US-assembled Meltio Robot Cell, the company aims to improve access to its technology for customers and system integrators in the North American market while reducing shipping and customs-related delays associated with importing complete systems from Spain.
The Meltio Robot Cell is a turnkey robotic metal additive manufacturing system designed to integrate Meltio’s metal 3D printing head with an industrial robotic arm. The solution incorporates Meltio Engine, Meltio Space and the necessary accessories to provide a complete production environment, including slicing, process control, monitoring and safety functions.
Built around an open hardware platform, the system is compatible with industrial ABB robotic arms and provides a spacious working area and build volume suitable for a broad range of manufacturing applications. The robot and positioner are installed on a self-supporting platform inside a laser-safe enclosure, providing a controlled environment for industrial production.
The system is designed as a plug-and-play solution, requiring a single electrical power connection and an inert gas supply to begin operation. It is intended for controlled indoor industrial environments and is not designed for outdoor use or exposure to direct sunlight, dust or other uncontrolled conditions.
Alejandro Nieto, Meltio Product Manager, said the US assembly initiative would give industries greater ability to manage metal additive manufacturing at the point and time of need. He added that customers could receive a production-ready robotic metal 3D printing cell while reducing transportation costs and eliminating lengthy integration and assembly processes.
The initiative has been developed with long-standing US partner FORCE Automation Inc., which has extensive experience in robotic integration and has supported the deployment of Meltio technology with ABB robotic arms in the US market. FORCE Automation was also Meltio’s first official ABB Robotics Integration partner in the country.
The Meltio Robot Cell is already being applied across demanding industrial sectors. Applications include manufacturing and repair of components, feature addition, hard-facing and cladding, and on-demand spare-parts production. Previous applications have demonstrated potential reductions in production costs and lead times while improving repeatability and reducing material consumption.
Gabriel Ortiz, Meltio North America Sales Manager, said assembling the technology in the United States represents an initial step towards strengthening access and service levels for North American industrial customers. He added that the company’s technology offers manufacturers a flexible approach to addressing component obsolescence, supply chain challenges and high operating costs.
Founded in 2019, Meltio is headquartered in Linares, Spain, and develops advanced metal additive manufacturing solutions based on its patented wire-laser metal deposition technology. The company’s systems are installed in more than 60 countries through a global network of over 55 partners and are used by more than 70 universities, research institutions and technical centres worldwide.
