We saw potential, had AMBITION and solved the problem.

Laser Cladding | Metal Additive Manufacturing Services | Hybrid AM

The problem

Dating back to the early 1990’s, academic research had demonstrated the potential benefits of combining additive techniques with milling. However, despite the universally acknowledged potential, and a few niche successes, there were still no commercial solutions for enabling mainstream CNC machines to add metal. This where we come in.

The Solution

In 2007, active use of a high-speed milling machine was initiated at De Montfort University’s Additive Manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing research laboratory. The cross-pollination of additive and subtractive technologies led to a 4-year UK-based research project named RECLAIM. 

The key objectives were to provide a practical means for hybrid manufacturing. In order to achieve this, we designed and developed a set of compact directed energy deposition heads. What made them unique was the integration method. For the first time ever, a solution was created that did not require modification of the structural parts of the CNC machine. This research endeavor has matured into the AMBIT™ tool-changeable deposition system. By 2013 Dr. Jason Jones and Peter Coates founded what is now Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies.  In 2020, on the heels of birthing a new manufacturing approach to aid in the fight against COVID-19, Hybrid Advanced Manufacturing was born.