ValCUN unveils REMUS 1.0: MMD printhead for industrial aluminum applications

The Belgian company ValCUN is expanding its Molten Metal Deposition (MMD) technology with the industrial printhead REMUS 1.0. The goal is near-series deployment of aluminum alloys, which—despite favorable strength-to-weight ratios and good thermal conductivity—are often underrepresented in metal 3D printing. REMUS 1.0 is designed as an interchangeable module and can be integrated into robot cells, CNC machines, or the next generation of the company’s own MINERVA systems.

Technically, the printhead addresses three shop-floor requirements: throughput, process stability, and straightforward integration. According to ValCUN, the key added value lies in the head itself, where wire feeding, local preheating, and oxide cleaning work in concert. In addition, path tracking and non-planar motion strategies are used to build on curved surfaces or existing components.

“REMUS 1.0 is the tool to truly industrialize MMD,” says Jonas Galle, Co-founder & CEO of ValCUN. “MINERVA allowed us to refine the process and understand the industry’s needs — REMUS is born out of that learning, translating those insights into an industrial product.”

One difference from classic powder bed or plate processes is independence from a fixed build platform. REMUS can deposit features directly onto existing components—for functional integration, weight reduction, or repair. This makes the system suitable for high-mix/low-volume scenarios where build-volume constraints and setup times are decisive. ValCUN also points to material-specific process control for standard and high-strength aluminum series such as 6xxx and 7xxx.

For the further roadmap, the company announces real-time monitoring with closed-loop control and in-situ quality assurance to correct fluctuations in wire feed, thermal balance, and melt-pool geometry at an early stage. Integrator partnerships are intended to facilitate machine-agnostic integration into existing systems.

“With REMUS 1.0, we’re not just building a product — we’re scaling a vision,” adds Jan De Pauw, co-founder & CTO of ValCUN. “Our mission is eventually to be present in every metal workshop complementary to CNC milling and other conventional state-of-the-art metal manufacturing technology.”