Breaking new ground in additive manufacturing lies in Kerstin and Frank Carsten Herzog’s blood. After graduating in 2000, the couple founded their first company, Concept Laser. Based on their own research, they designed the world’s first industrial metal 3D printer that quickly became the foundation of one of the leading companies in industrial additive manufacturing. The Herzogs eventually sold Concept Laser to global giant General Electric.

However, as is the case with entrepreneurs, founding one company is never enough. And so, Naddcon, based in their home town of Lichtenfels, Germany, was launched in 2021 as part of the HZG Group. In case you’re wondering where the unusual name comes from, it stands for “New ADDitive CONcepts.”

Founder Frank Carsten Herzog explains: “With the HZG Group, we have returned to our entrepreneurial roots. It’s all about new potential and innovative ideas for 3D printing. We invest in the most promising start-ups via a fund, and in Naddcon, we bundle the most exciting technologies and apply them. Naddcon has now developed into a high-performance development application center for additive manufacturing at an international level.”

Customized Solutions Instead of Off-the-Shelf 3D Printing

What does Naddcon GmbH do differently from other 3D printing companies? It understands itself as a development and application center for 3D printing technology. It helps people, companies, and research institutions manufacture their products with additive manufacturing.

So, if you have an idea but don’t know how to realize it using 3D printing, you’re in good hands. “We are not a typical printing service provider, but we work with our customers to build new applications and bring them to market maturity,” explains Managing Director Christian Steinhage. “Most of the projects have a strong innovative character.”

The range of customers is broad. It extends from small companies to large corporations; but also, colleges, universities, and research institutes in Europe. There is no traditional specialization, explains Steinhage: “Our customers range from furniture makers and model makers to medical technology.”

On request, Naddcon can map the entire 3D printing process, “from development to data preparation, printing, post-processing, and quality assurance. We accompany the entire process and, if desired, set up the process chain at the customer’s premises.” A five-strong team of qualified development engineers and experts realizes even the most challenging projects.

If necessary, when a certain degree of specialization is required, a strong network of universities, corporations, SMEs, and start-ups will help.

The Most Modern Machines

A wide variety of materials are processed in two production halls covering a total of 600 square meters. Printing is done in-house on ten industrial 3D printers. Steinhage favors diversity: “These are innovative machines that you rarely find on the market or only in small quantities. Bringing everything together under one roof is the core of our brand. I think we can offer processes that others don’t have available.”

In addition to laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) for complex metal components, complex geometries and shapes can also be realized in the polymer sector. Thermoplastic prints are also available. The machine park is growing; in the future, for example, 3D printing with silicone will also be possible at Naddcon. State-of-the-art software solutions such as Siemens NX are used by experienced experts to support the operation of the machines and for preparation and post-processing work.

“We enjoy developing feasible solutions for our customers,” explains Steinhage. Naddcon also passes on some of this joy to the community: for example, it supports makerspaces and helps the CAT Racing Team at Coburg University of Applied Sciences.