Platform Additive Manufacturing
Together for a strong Swiss industry with additive manufacturing.
The diverse potential of additive manufacturing (3D printing) enables great design freedom, cost-efficient and time-optimised production for small and medium-sized quantities, as well as the possibility of customisation across all sectors of the manufacturing industry.
This key technology opens up new ways of thinking, solution approaches and applications for companies and their customers.
Our experts from the ZHAW Additive Manufacturing Platform are at your side to help you successfully implement your new product, manufacturing and process ideas in the field of additive manufacturing, from the initial idea through to the finished product.
Save the date: 4 September 2026
Applied research and development in additive manufacturing 2026: Advances in AM – Digital Methods, Hardware and Processes
Development and consulting
The ZHAW School of Engineering, one of Switzerland’s largest technical universities of applied sciences, offers industry an AM platform that helps companies access information more quickly and effectively, making it easier for them to benefit from AM processes.
Our comprehensive infrastructure, many years of experience in a wide range of additive manufacturing methods, and an interdisciplinary approach to leveraging expertise in materials development, product and production development, printer and control technology, as well as advanced modelling methods, enable our partners to actively implement their innovative project ideas and development initiatives.
Fields of expertise and areas of activity
Product and production development
- Product and production development with optimisation of the entire manufacturing chain, from the initial idea and design for additive manufacturing (DfAM), through production techniques and aids, to the ready-to-use product
- Processes: Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB, SLM) using established metals, ceramics and plastics, Material Extrusion (MEX, FDM), as well as Vat Photopolymerisation (VPP, SLA)
- Development of systems and components for the efficient production of prototypes and ready-to-use products
- Basic and continuing education in additive manufacturing, from design for additive manufacturing and the various manufacturing processes through to post-processing
Contact
- Dr. Stefan Czerner (stefan.czerner@zhaw.ch) and Hanspeter Sautter (hanspeter.sautter@zhaw.ch)
- www.zhaw.ch/ipp
Materials and processes
- Materials development and qualification tailored to individual material and process requirements
- Additive manufacturing concepts for technical ceramics, metals, polymers and fibre composites
- Process development for new materials, such as high-performance alloys, glasses and sustainable polymers
- Transfer between additive technologies and series production using injection moulding
- Materials and component testing
Contact
- Prof. Dr. Dirk Penner (dirk.penner@zhaw.ch) and Prof. Dr. Rene Radis (rene.radis@zhaw.ch)
- www.zhaw.ch/impe
Mechatronic systems
- Developing multi-axis equipment and process technology to achieve the greatest possible design freedom, including in Material Extrusion (MEX/FDM)
- Development of new slicing strategies for Material Extrusion (MEX/FDM) to reduce support material
- Non-planar printing and non-planar slicing for MEX/FDM enable improved surface quality.
Contact
- Michael Wüthrich (michael.wuethrich@zhaw.ch)
- www.zhaw.ch/ims
Thermo-mechanical process simulation
Institute of Mechanical Systems (IMES)
- Thermo-mechanical process simulation methods (TMPS) for PBF-LB/M (hot spots, distortion, residual stresses, distortion compensation) to improve the dimensional accuracy and reliability of the additive manufacturing process
- Development of calibration methods for TMPS to enable more accurate predictions
- Simulation-based optimisation for physically meaningful and robust adjustment of support structures
- Development of bionic lightweight components using topology optimisation in order to fully exploit the lightweight design potential and the possibilities for complex geometries offered by additive manufacturing
- Thermo-physical and thermo-mechanical material characterisation and modelling (thermal conductivity, dilatometry) as a basis for simulations
- Development of design and evaluation methods for additively manufactured components in order to appropriately take manufacturing defects into account during the design process
Contact
- Prof. Dr. Thomas Mayer (thomas.mayer@zhaw.ch)
- www.zhaw.ch/imes
Process control and optimisation
Centre for Artificial Intelligence
- Targeted selection of process parameters while taking quality requirements into account, using reliable probabilistic model-based approaches
- Closed-loop control of AM processes using available measurement and sensor data
- Learning-based models for process optimisation
Contact
- Dr. Alisa Rupenyan (alisa.rupenyan@zhaw.ch)
- www.zhaw.ch/cai
Continuing education
For more than 10 years, ZHAW has been offering continuing education courses and was the first university in Switzerland to offer a Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) on the topic of additive manufacturing (3D printing). Detailed information and registration:
Videos on additive manufacturing
Events in the field of additive manufacturing
Save the date: 4 September 2026
Applied research and development in additive manufacturing 2026: Advances in AM – Digital Methods, Hardware and Processes
Past events
- Since 2014, ZHAW has organised symposia and conferences on 3D printing and additive manufacturing.
- Impression 3D idea, 26.06.2014
- aF&E in der additiven Fertigung, 3.9.2019
- aF&E in der additiven Fertigung, 7.9.2021
- aF&E in der additiven Fertigung, 12.9.2024
- aF&E in der additiven Fertigung, 15.10.2025
- AM Expo | 12 to 13 September 2023, trade fair and symposium, Messe Luzern
- Since 2014, ZHAW has organised symposia and conferences on 3D printing and additive manufacturing.
- Impression 3D idea, 26.06.2014
- aF&E in der additiven Fertigung, 3.9.2019
- aF&E in der additiven Fertigung, 7.9.2021
- aF&E in der additiven Fertigung, 12.9.2024
Publications in the field of additive manufacturing
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Kirchheim, Andreas; Katrodiya, Yogeshkumar; Zumofen, Livia; Ehrig, Frank; Wick, Curdin,
2021.
The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology.
114(1-2), pp. 107-116.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-021-06794-0
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Baertsch, Florian; Ameli, Amir; Mayer, Thomas,
2021.
Journal of Engineering Mechanics.
147(7).
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EM.1943-7889.0001923
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Höller, Anton; Zumofen, Livia; Kirchheim, Andreas; Dinner, Hanspeter; Dennig, Hans-Jörg,
2020.
Additive manufactured and topology optimized flexpin for planetary gears[paper].
In:
Meboldt, Mirko; Klahn, Christoph, eds.,
Industrializing Additive Manufacturing : Proceedings of AMPA 2020.
2nd International Conference on Additive Manufacturing for Products and Applications (AMPA), Zurich, 1-3 September 2020.
Cham:
Springer.
pp. 337-356.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54334-1_24
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Dennig, Hans-Jörg; Zumofen, Livia; Kirchheim, Andreas,
2020.
Feasibility investigation of gears manufactured by fused filament fabrication[paper].
In:
Meboldt, Mirko; Klahn, Christoph, eds.,
Industrializing Additive Manufacturing : Proceedings of AMPA 2020.
2nd International Conference on Additive Manufacturing for Products and Applications (AMPA), Zurich, 1-3 September 2020.
Cham:
Springer.
pp. 304-320.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54334-1_22
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Wüthrich, Michael; Elspass, Wilfried Johannes; Bos, Philip; Holdener, Simon,
2020.
Novel 4-axis 3D printing process to print overhangs without support material[paper].
In:
Meboldt, Mirko; Klahn, Christoph, eds.,
Industrializing Additive Manufacturing : Proceedings of AMPA 2020.
2nd International Conference on Additive Manufacturing for Products and Applications (AMPA), Zurich, 1-3 September 2020.
Cham:
Springer.
pp. 130-145.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54334-1_10
