Materia Sphere GmbH, founded in 2022 in Hard am Bodensee, Austria, specializes in expanding the application possibilities of additive manufacturing. The company develops customized powder material prototypes for research and industry and complements its portfolio with solutions in process and material engineering as well as component development and production. In an interview with 3Druck.com, CEO Stefan Hochleitner shares his insights on tailoring powder materials, optimizing additive manufacturing processes, and future technological advances in the field.
One of Materia Sphere’s key offerings is the bespoke production of powder prototypes. These can be tailored to specific requirements with virtually no restrictions, enabling efficient and iterative material and process development. By manufacturing in variable batch sizes, the company can provide both small quantities for research purposes and larger volumes for serial production.
In process engineering, Materia Sphere focuses on an analytical approach to optimizing printing parameters. This includes the precise control of factors such as relative density, strength, surface roughness, and process productivity. By leveraging advanced engineering tools and extensive research activities, the company develops optimal processing parameters that are relevant for both customized materials and the improvement of standard processes.
The strategic design and optimization of components are also central to the company’s focus. By combining expertise in additive and subtractive manufacturing, Materia Sphere supports the realization of complex customer projects. This integrative approach allows the full potential of additive manufacturing to be harnessed while providing innovative material solutions for various industries. Additionally, Materia Sphere is a member of the AM Austria technology platform, fostering collaboration with industry and research to drive the advancement of additive manufacturing technologies.
Interview with Stefan Hochleitner
In an interview with 3Druck.com, Managing Director DI Stefan Hochleitner discusses Materia Sphere’s role in additive manufacturing and its custom powder production for new material solutions. He explains how the company supports customers in process optimization, the manufacturing methods it uses, and what technological developments can be expected in the industry.
How does Materia Sphere contribute to the development of new material solutions for additive manufacturing with its customized powder production? What advantages does this offer, particularly for R&D applications?
DI Stefan Hochleitner
Materia Sphere’s unique approach lies in the variety of possible alloy systems and batch sizes for powder materials. The company can provide anything from a few hundred grams to several hundred kilograms of powder materials.
Small quantities serve as the foundation for cost-efficient, iterative material and process development, enabling the creation of new material concepts for additive manufacturing. After the initial iterations, Materia Sphere also offers larger powder quantities for transfer to production and ramp-up to series manufacturing.
How do you support companies in optimizing processes for additive manufacturing, and what challenges do you see in this area?
Materia Sphere’s customers come from all areas of metal processing and research. As a result, they have highly specific requirements, which the company addresses with its portfolio.
A key starting point is the development of customized alloy compositions. These material systems impose specific demands on the printing process, which Materia Sphere addresses through innovation studies and process development. Additionally, its portfolio includes solutions for component engineering and manufacturing with a focus on additive processes.
Challenges are tackled through extensive research activities, an analytical approach, and the use of the latest engineering tools.
What manufacturing processes are you currently using, and what technological developments do you expect in the coming years in the field of metal additive manufacturing?
For in-house production, Materia Sphere primarily works with the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process for metals. However, the company has also gained experience with FDM and binder-based methods such as metal and ceramic lithography and binder jetting. For post-processing, it relies on mechanical machining in CNC systems as well as blasting technology.
In the coming years, Materia Sphere expects a significant expansion in material diversity, which will further broaden the potential applications of additive manufacturing. The use of materials from secondary raw material sources is also a key research focus and contributes directly to reducing the CO₂ footprint.
What initiatives and projects does Materia Sphere pursue as a member of AM Austria to drive the advancement of additive manufacturing technology?
As a young member of AM Austria and a start-up, Materia Sphere values the exchange with other companies as an essential component of its strategy. The platform enables direct communication with industry and research, actively contributing to technological progress.
Furthermore, the company sees additive manufacturing as a valuable addition to conventional manufacturing methods. To fully leverage the potential of these processes, it is crucial to involve development engineers early in the project phase and integrate these technologies in a way that creates tangible benefits.
With this approach, Materia Sphere aims to establish additive manufacturing technologies and further exploit their potential for material, process, and component engineering.
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