The Niedersachsen Additiv center for additive processes has opened in the Saxony region of Germany. The center will receive €1.2 million ($1.4 million) for three years of research and technology from the state government of Lower Saxony. “Additive processes such as 3D printing belong to the most important future topics of production technology concerning Industry 4.0,” said Olaf Lies, Minister of Economics, Labor and Transport for Lower Saxony. “We want to strengthen the small- and medium-sized enterprises in Lower Saxony and make sure our companies proceed on the way to additive manufacturing. To stand one’s ground in the competition, companies must be able to manufacture components made of plastics or metals not only by machining but also using the so-called printing. This is becoming increasingly relevant for larger batch sizes. With the center it will be possible to determine the right point in time and technology. This why the state is happily supporting the new center in Hannover.” Niedersachsen Additiv intends to make 3D printing ready for series production. Four initiative partners include the Laser Zentrum Hannover EV, the Institut für Integrierte Produktion Hannover GmbH, the Deutsche Messe Technology Academy GmbH and the LZH Laser Akademie GmbH. The center aims to help small- and medium-sized enterprises integrate the new technologies into their production processes. The center will also focus on further vocational education in basic seminars and subsequent training courses. Companies that aim to integrate additive manufacturing technologies in their own production receive support free of charge. ”We want to make 3D printing ready for series production. This means we have to solve exactly those problems that companies are facing today”, says Malte Stonis, CEO of the Institut für Integrierte Produktion Hannover. “Commercially available materials, for example stainless steel and aluminum alloys, polyamides and special materials such as magnesium play an important role in the manufacturing industry,” saoid Dietmar Kracht, director of Lazer Zentrum Hannover. “Now it is our task to develop customized additive manufacturing processes.”