Steinbach AG, a contract manufacturer specializing in technical ceramic additive manufacturing, has acquired two additional CeraFab S65 systems, bringing its total number of Lithography-based Ceramic Manufacturing (LCM) printers to seven. The expansion increases the company’s capacity for series-quality prototyping and serial production of ceramic components.
The additional systems extend the company’s LCM-based machine park, which is used to manufacture ceramic parts for customers across multiple industrial sectors. Current production supports applications in machine engineering, measuring and sensor technologies, and medical technology. Alongside printer capacity, post-processing infrastructure has been expanded to 13 furnaces, enabling prototype delivery times of three to four weeks.
Ceramic components produced at the facility are supplied for applications in medical technology, high-temperature environments, the electrical industry, automotive systems, and aerospace. Ceramics are used in these fields due to material properties such as thermal stability, electrical insulation, and chemical resistance. According to the manufacturer, Lithoz’s LCM technology enables the production of fine-feature ceramic components in series quality, supporting both prototyping and serial manufacturing.
Volker Steinbach, CEO of Steinbach AG, said the decision to expand printer capacity follows long-term use of LCM technology. “After many years of working with LCM technology, growing our 3D printer fleet is a natural response to increasing market demand,” he said. Steinbach added that customers from machine engineering, measuring and sensor technologies, and MedTech rely on consistent quality, reliability, and long-term production continuity. He further stated: “Besides, we have strengthened our post-processing capabilities to 13 furnaces, enabling us to reduce delivery times for prototypes to three to four weeks. By expanding Steinbach AG’s LCM-based machine park, we have scaled our rigorous quality standards to meet customer expectations at mass production level, further reinforcing our position as a trusted manufacturing partner for high-performance ceramic components.”
From the supplier side, Lithoz, a manufacturer of ceramic 3D printing systems and materials, described the investment as part of its Ceramic 3D Factory ecosystem. Lithoz CEO Dr. Johannes Homa said: “This investment by Steinbach AG showcases innovation-leading OEMs increasingly use experienced contract manufacturers within our LCM-based Ceramic 3D Factory network to open a low-threshold access to successfully explore new business and engineering opportunities.” He added: “After building up LCM technology expertise for 10 years, Steinbach AG is now reaping the rewards of taking the leap. With seven LCM printers operating at full capacity and a profound understanding of industry challenges and needs, the company is fully leveraging the serial production capabilities of ceramic 3D printing.”
Additive manufacturing system acquisitions for serial production and certified supply chains
Recent investments in large-format additive manufacturing systems highlight how contract manufacturers are expanding certified production capacity through targeted equipment acquisitions. In Portugal, Hypermetal, a certified metal additive manufacturing company operating under EN9100 and ISO 9001, added a Nikon SLM NXG XII 600 system to support aerospace and defense programs. The installation removed previous constraints related to build volume and throughput, enabling production of larger, flight-critical components using laser powder bed fusion. Developed by Nikon SLM Solutions, the NXG XII 600 features twelve lasers and a 600 × 600 × 600 mm build chamber, targeting serial production environments. The acquisition formed part of an approved Portugal 2030 – Productive Innovation project and received formal endorsement from the Portuguese Space Agency.
Similar capacity-driven system acquisitions have also been reported in North America, where Youngstown Business Incubator acquired a Carmel 1400M metal 3D printer from XJet. Installed at Humtown Products in Ohio, the system expanded regional access to metal and ceramic additive manufacturing for aerospace, defense, medical, and electronics customers. The Carmel 1400M uses XJet’s NanoParticle Jetting technology, a powderless process based on liquid nanoparticle inks, and offers a 500 × 140 mm build area with ±50 micron accuracy on small parts. The installation complemented an existing Carmel 1400C ceramic system and strengthened YBI’s role as a technology facilitator through its participation in America Makes, a U.S. public-private partnership focused on accelerating additive manufacturing adoption.
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Featured photo shows Lithoz CeraFab S65. Photo via Lithoz.
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