Lincoln Electric Extends into Additive Manufacturing

A global manufacturer is ready to move from a research and development mindset and set up shop as an additive manufacturer of large-scale metal products.

Lincoln Electric, headquartered in Cleveland, is a world leader in the design, development and manufacturing of arc welding products and robotic arc welding systems. The company has been working in large-scale metal additive manufacturing for about five years, creating mostly experimental and prototype parts. Lincoln Electric will open a brand new center for metal additive manufacturing services, making its products available commercially and positioning itself as a leader in this area.

Mike Whitehead, president of Lincoln Electric's global automation, cutting and additive businesses, tells Crain’s Cleveland that the company will focus on making large-scale metal products that weigh more than 600 pounds. These products include excavator arms and propeller blades, essentially "welding layer upon layer upon layer upon layer" of metal onto itself.

Additive manufacturing across a wide array of materials, from plastics to metals, offers many benefits to companies, including getting products much faster to global customers. Jay Foran, senior vice president of industry and innovation at Team NEO, said that Lincoln Electric's expansion into this space supports Northeast Ohio's becoming a "center of excellence" for additive manufacturing, which is one of the technologies Team NEO has focused on in recent years.

To learn more about how advanced manufacturers in Northeast Ohio are leading the way in additive manufacturing innovation, click here.