Hexagon

Additive manufacturing makes objects by systematically adding material via a CAD program

Additive Manufacturing

Divergent 3D offers a proprietary (over 500 patent filings) end-to-end additive manufacturing (AM) platform comprising printers, materials, and software (Divergent Adaptive Production System [DAPS]) targeting automotive manufacturing. The approach facilitates both high and low-volume manufacturing without the need for costly layout changes, allowing vehicle manufacturers to invent new vehicle models quickly. The system can also move between the manufacturing of different vehicle models. The company’s quality management system ensures that DAPS meets international quality standards and certifications set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).In October 2023, Divergent <a href="https://sp-edge.com/industry/71">acquired Sigma Additive Solutions </a>, a provider of in-process quality assurance solutions to the additive manufacturing industry to integrate Sigma's technology into its Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS) platform.Key customers and partnershipsAs of November 2023, Divergent 3D had seven automotive customers including Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG as well as six US government contractors like the General Atomic Aeronautical Systems Inc. Automobile manufacturer Czinger Vehicles’ (an entity co-founded by Divergent COO) 21C hypercar is the first car to use Divergent’s technology (Czinger Vehicles is owned by the Divergent owner).

Revolutionizing efficiency by redefining human interactions

Humanoid Robots

Unitree Robotics is a Chinese company specializing in developing and manufacturing high-performance quadruped robots and robotic arms. Their key product offerings include the Go series for consumer applications, such as the Go1 launched in June 2021 priced at USD 2,700, featuring intelligent side-follow capabilities and a maximum speed of around 4.7 million/s. For industrial applications, they offer models like the B1 quadruped robot showcased at the 2022 CCTV Lantern Festival Gala, designed for all-weather operation with strong payload capabilities. 
In March 2024, their H1 V3.0 Evolution humanoid robot set a Guinness World Record as the fastest full-sized humanoid, achieving a linear walking speed of 7.38 mph (3.3 million/s). Unitree also unveiled the Z1 collaborative robotic arm in November 2022, compatible with their legged robots for mobile manipulation tasks across various sectors. 
In January 2024, they released the B2, claimed as the fastest industrial quadruped robot with a running speed exceeding six m/s and a 120 kg maximum load capacity.

AIAdvertising utilizes Artificial Intelligence to eliminate waste and increase the performance of digital advertising. They offer a flagship product, SWARM, that analyzes a variety of audience data and enables businesses to determine who to talk with, what to say to them, and how to market to them.

Divergent has created the world's first end-to-end software-hardware production system for industrial digital manufacturing – the Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS™) – allowing customers to design, additively manufacture, and automatically assemble complex structures for automotive, aerospace, and defense applications. DAPS transforms the economics and environmental impact of manufacturing complex structures for vehicles of all types by optimizing designs, dematerializing structures, and eliminating upfront capex.

Unitree Robotics is focusing on the R&D, production, and sales of consumer and industry-class high-performance general-purpose legged and humanoid robots, and six-axis manipulators. Unitree focuses on core robot parts, motion control, robot sensing and other comprehensive fields. Unitree attaches great importance to independent research and development and technological innovation, fully self-researching key core robot components such as motors, reducers, controllers, LIDAR and high-performance perception and motion control algorithms, integrating the entire robotics industry chain, and reaching global technological leadership in the field of quadruped robots.

Veripos provides trusted precise positioning solutions and exceptional service in the most demanding environments.

NRC Group is an infrastructure company that provides services for transport-related infrastructure, including rail, light rail, and civil engineering.

Hexagon is a provider of information technology solutions that drive productivity and quality across geospatial and industrial landscapes.

<div> Hexagon AB (STO: HEXA B) is a global leader in digital reality solutions headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. The company combines sensor, software and autonomous technologies to provide solutions that boost efficiency, productivity, quality and safety across industrial, manufacturing, infrastructure, public sector and mobility applications. Hexagon's key offerings include: <ul> <li> Reality Capture: Technologies to digitize and position physical reality at any scale </li> <li> Reality Creation: Solutions for data analytics, design and simulation </li> <li> Reality Immersion: Tools for visualization, collaboration and decision-making </li> <li> Reality Activation: Solutions to improve and automate processes </li> </ul> The company operates through five main divisions: <ul> <li> Manufacturing Intelligence </li> <li> Asset lifecycle Intelligence </li> <li> Geosystems </li> <li> Autonomous Solutions </li> <li> Safety, Infrastructure &amp; Geospatial </li> </ul> Hexagon has a strong focus on innovation, with significant investments in R&amp;D and strategic acquisitions to drive organic growth and expand its technological capabilities. The company aims to empower customers to leverage data for improved sustainability, productivity and profitability. As of 2024, Hexagon has approximately 24,500 employees across 50 countries. The company reported net sales of EUR 5.4 billion in 2023. Hexagon is committed to sustainability goals, including plans to reduce scope one and two emissions by 95% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. </div>

Hexagon appoints new Group Executive Vice President and new President of Hexagon’s Geosystems division

Hexagon Geosystems

Using data and automation to achieve 24/7 production.

Smart Factory

Companies that provide robotic fleet management software, robotic automation software, and inspection software.

Companies that provide an industrial IoT platform across factories as the primary offering.

Companies that provide cobots, sorting/ picking robotics, modular production robotics, and microfactories.

Companies that focus on data analytics for operations streamlining and process optimization, and may offer predictive maintenance.

Companies that provide autonomous mobile robots (AMR) or self-driving vehicles (SDV) used in manufacturing/ factory operations.

Companies that monitor the manufacturing equipment and assembly lines.

Companies that provide predictive maintenance as a primary offering. 

Renishaw offers a range of 3D printers for metal printing using metal powder bed fusion (laser melting) technology. Its flagship printers, the Ren500 series, comprises RenAM 500 Flex, an open powder 3D system; RenAM 500 Q, a laser power bed cost effective system; and the RenAM 500 Ultra, which incorporates the patented TEMPUS technology (a scanning algorithm for 3D printers to maintain quality).

Renishaw offers various AM software solutions for it's 3D printers. The software offerings include 1) InfiniAM Central, a remote AM software with the ability to monitor operations in real time; 2) InfiniAM Spectral, a energy input and melt-pool emissions monitoring solution for AM systems; 3) QuantAM build preparation software, a file preparation software tool for specifically Renishaw additive manufacturing (AM) systems; and 4) QuantAM Dental, a 3D printing software for dental additive manufacturing systems.

The company offers metal powders including titanium alloy Ti6Al4V, nickel alloys inconel 625 and 718, cobalt chromium, and aluminium alloy AlSi10Mg. 

In October 2024, Renishaw introduced five new processable materials for its RenAM 500 series of metal additive manufacturing systems. The new materials are commercially pure copper, H13 tool steel, Hastelloy X alloy, super duplex stainless steel, and AlSi7Mg aluminum alloy. The company also added powder layer thicknesses to its current processable materials, including 90 μm titanium grade 23, 70 μm stainless steel 316L, and 120 μm Inconel 718 parameters. Notably, Renishaw incorporated Plastometrex's proprietary PIP (Profilometry-based Indentation Plastometry) testing method in its material data sheets.

Companies that develop hardware and software for post-printing operations like cleaning, surfacing, and coloring.

Companies that use additive manufacturing technology to manufacture components, parts, products, on-demand. This includes contract manufacturers and companies that operate their own manufacturing plants.

Using real-time data to create dynamic virtual representations of the real world

Digital Twin

Companies that facilitate the creation of digital twins to monitor and maintain assets, including buildings and network infrastructure.

Platforms that facilitate digital twin modeling by either collectively or individually offering any combination of data capture and analytics solutions.

Companies that offer digital twins to gain insights for use in commercial planning, logistics and distribution, and other supply chain processes.

Companies that offer digital twins to assess risks and recommend solutions in areas such as disaster management, DNA testing, clinical trials (to simulate effects of treatments), etc.

Companies that offer digital twins to design and build components contributing to smart cities, roads, airports, public transportation systems, etc.

ANALYST_QUICK_TAKE

INCUMBENTS_PRESENT

<div>
 3D Systems, a company involved in providing 3D printing solutions, has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Geomagic software portfolio. This portfolio will be sold to the Manufacturing Intelligence Division of Hexagon for a price of 123 million USD. The deal is scheduled to close in the first half of 2025.
 The Geomagic portfolio entails various software tools. These consist of Design X, Control X, Freeform, Wrap, and Geomagic for SolidWorks. With these tools, users can design digital models from physical objects, create from scratch, modify existing models, and carry out quality control inspections. All of these features make the software tools suitable for manufacturing purposes.
 Once this divestiture concludes, 3D Systems will turn its focus to its core software platforms. This includes platforms such as 3D Sprint, 3DXpert, and Oqton Industrial Manufacturing OS. The aim of this is to accelerate strategic software development and enhance AM capabilities. The company also hopes to leverage AI and machine learning capabilities to aid high-volume production environments and critical industrial applications.

</div> Analyst QuickTake: 
 Hexagon, which mainly operates in the manufacturing technology space, has been steadily expanding its portfolio of 3D-printing software products over the past year. This news comes less than a month after the company <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/36399"> introduced Advanced Compensation technology </a> for metal 3D printing, which combines process simulation with geometry compensation to ensure large or complex metal parts distort into their intended shape during printing. It also marks the company's second acquisition in the space after CADS Additive, which it <a href="https: 
//hexagon.com/company/newsroom/press-releases/2023/hexagon-enhances-its-additive-manufacturing-solutions-with-the-acquisition-of-cads-additive"> acquired in June 2023 </a> . It leveraged the acquisition to integrate the latter's build preparation and support structure creation capabilities with its Simufact Additive process simulation software.

Hexagon

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