At this year’s WAAMathon in Berlin, the focus was once again on additive manufacturing with wire. The Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) process, in which metal is applied layer by layer using arc welding, is becoming increasingly important for industrial applications. Organized by the Berlin.Industrial.Group., the conference on 15 May 2025 provided a platform for players from industry, research and mechanical engineering to discuss the latest developments, application examples and process innovations.
A central theme of the event was the integration of automation, digital process monitoring and AI-supported quality control into existing WAAM systems. Companies such as 3D Components and Siemens presented solutions for real-time monitoring of welding processes as well as hybrid machine concepts that combine additive and subtractive manufacturing in one processing cell. This enables more precise components to be manufactured with shorter throughput times.
“Faster, Better, Cheaper should be the motto for the use of 3D printing,” said Carl Fruth, CEO and founder of FIT AG, in his opening speech at WAAMathon #2.
“The good mix of suppliers, indirect suppliers, customers and researchers is very impressive,” said Thomas Van Glabeke, Chief Product Officer at MX3D. “We sponsor the event to promote advanced WAAM technology and strengthen the WAAM community.”
Another focus was on process reliability and material development. New wear protection solutions for current contact nozzles, such as those presented by CEP, significantly increase the service life of continuous wire application. The production of large-volume structures – such as underwater housings with a height of three meters – demonstrates the potential of WAAM in previously untapped fields of application.
“The insight into the various application projects and new developments is the most impressive thing for me,” says Ronny Krein, Head of the Welding Competence Center department at voestalpine Böhler Welding. The company is also supporting the event as a sponsor. “We use the event to further expand our network, to exchange ideas and, of course, to further promote WAAM.”
Thomas Schön CAD/CAM Application Engineer at ARC Solutions, who took part in the WAAMathon as a visitor: “Customers are very interested in WAAM technology – but they are still cautious at the moment. This is because there are no long-term studies and only limited certifications, which leads to a certain amount of uncertainty.” Andreas Mootz from Mootz Engineering has a similar opinion: “Qualification is currently one of the most important topics in the WAAM sector.”
At the same time, it became clear that normative standards and reliable long-term data are necessary for broader industrial establishment. Numerous research projects, for example on microstructural properties and the qualification of aluminum or nickel alloys, are addressing these gaps. Universities such as RWTH Aachen University and Graz University of Technology presented their latest results.
Simon Arnoldi, Project Engineer Machine Vision at Plasma Additive, said: “I find the event exciting, as it brings together many people with expertise from this small industry in one place. It’s the perfect opportunity for a comprehensive exchange of ideas.”
D. Mark Douglass, Business Development Manager Additive Solutions at Lincoln Electric, agrees: “I’ve heard a lot of interesting presentations and we’ve had a lot of good meetings with other people in the community. We sponsor the WAAMathon because we like the idea of a focused meeting on WAAM. At many meetings, conferences and trade fairs, the topic of WAAM is easily lost in the crowd.”
According to Ampower’s market analysis, double-digit growth rates are expected for WAAM until 2029. The participants were correspondingly optimistic. The already announced WAAMathon #3 in June 2026 will continue the discussion on process maturity, standardization and scalability.
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