The University of Texas at El Paso will serve as the North American base of operations for Aconity3D, one of the world's emerging technology leaders in the production of 3D printing equipment, under a new agreement announced by the two organizations this summer.

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The University of Texas at El Paso will serve as the North American base of operations
for Aconity3D, one of the worlds emerging technology leaders in the production of 3D
printing equipment, under a new agreement announced by the two organizations this
summer. Aconity3D, which is based in Herzogenrath, Germany, develops laser-based
3D printing machines for fabrication of complex metal parts for use in airplanes,
automobiles, medical implants and more.
Aconity3D leaders say they were drawn to UTEP because of the prominence, expertise
and facilities offered by the W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation. UTEP has been a
leading force in the worldwide revolution of 3D printing since 2000 when the Keck Center
and UTEPs College of Engineering made strategic investments in additive
manufacturing technologies, known more popularly as 3D printing, to assist
manufacturers in prototyping parts before investing in costly manufacturing tools needed
for production.
"We have long worked on leveraging our expertise in 3D printing to build a new economy
in El Paso around additive manufacturing," said Ryan Wicker, Ph.D., founder of the Keck
Center. "Our partnership with Aconity3D is a major milestone in that direction and is
validation of all of our combined efforts. The only way a company like Aconity3D would

decide to come here is because of our technical strength in additive manufacturing,
access to our graduating talent to meet their workforce needs, and the tremendous
opportunities available for commercial success through collaborations with UTEP. We
can apply this economic development model to build other businesses around their
technologies, recruit other 3D printing businesses to our region and create new
businesses from our own 3D printing technologies coming out of UTEP. As a research
university, UTEP must be - and is excited to be - fully engaged in stimulating economic
development for the benefit of our region."
UTEPs agreement with Aconity3D will further enhance its production and service
operations, attract high-end jobs for engineering students in the community, and advance
the broader technology through meaningful research investigations involving UTEP,
Aconity3D, government agencies and industry. Global interest in metal 3D printing
continues its rapid ascent as industry now looks to 3D printing to build next-generation
products. AconityUS will be located at the University Towers Building, 1900 N. Oregon.
"We are pleased to establish a relationship with UTEP," said Yves Hagedorn, Ph.D.,
managing director of Aconity3D. "This is an excellent example of how research
universities can partner with private industry to advance the educational opportunities
afforded to students and also attract economic development to the region. We are
confident that the combined expertise of the Keck Center and Aconity3D will yield
innovative approaches to 3D printing and offer world-class research opportunities for
students."
"This exciting collaboration is very well aligned with UTEPs access and excellence
mission," UTEP President Diana Natalicio said. "UTEP is committed to providing our
students with exceptional educational opportunities, many of which are advanced
through the ground-breaking research underway on our campus. This agreement with
Aconity3D will enhance UTEPs research environment, broaden the range of
experiences available to our students in the Keck Center for 3D Innovation, and attract
new business development that will enable UTEP graduates to remain in this region to
pursue their career goals."
Initially, Aconity3D begins its operations in El Paso with a chief executive officer and
plans to hire up to three employees within a year, focusing on UTEP graduates of the
Keck Center with unique expertise in Aconity3Ds technology. The partnerships long-
term goal is to develop a technical center and research space in Keck Center facilities,
which will operate in tandem with Aconity3Ds German headquarters to sell and service
its 3D printers for North America. In Germany, Aconity3D has grown from a startup
established in 2014 to a thriving company with more than 50 employees today. As its

North American operations advance, the need for more engineering talent is expected to
rise, and UTEP is poised to address Aconity3Ds workforce needs.
Extending its reach to the United States, Aconity3D saw the Keck Centers success in
the field of 3D printing and commitment to boost economic development as uniquely
positioning UTEP for this collaboration. In 2015, UTEPs Keck Center became the first
satellite center for America Makes, the nations leading and collaborative partner in 3D
printing technology research, discovery, creation and innovation. Structured as a public-
private partnership with member organizations from industry, academia, government,
nongovernment agencies, and workforce and economic development resources,
America Makes partners work together to innovate and accelerate 3D printing to
increase the countrys global manufacturing competitiveness.
"The Keck Center is a natural fit for Aconity3D as it is a recognized leader in additive
manufacturing," said Theresa A. Maldonado, Ph.D., dean of UTEPs College of
Engineering. "This collaboration will enhance our technical knowledge base and expand
our expertise. We can also work collaboratively toward our model to incubate startups
and provide them a pool of highly qualified graduates."
The Keck Center is already home to a printer manufactured by Aconity3D. The laser
powder bed fusion technology, as the particular 3D printing technology is known, uses
metal powder and a laser controlled by a customized software platform capable of
unprecedented design control. The process builds complicated 3D metal components
layer by layer.
Aconity3D-produced printers are built with an open architecture system that allows users
to modify its parameters to craft the best approach for fabricating a particular material
desired by the customer - an approach that differs from the typical commercial approach
of not allowing user control over build parameters. Extensive knowledge of functions is
required to enable proper use of the technology, making Aconity3D equipment highly
conducive to innovative research, which fuels the companys corporate philosophy to
locate near high-tech research organizations. Aconity3Ds Herzogenrath facility is located
near the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (Fraunhofer ILT) in Aachen,
Germany, a recognized world leader in laser metal 3D printing technology and where
almost all of Aconity3Ds founders and employees pursued their advanced engineering
degrees. Aconity3D maintains a strong collaboration with Fraunhofer ILT, which includes
supporting students and interns from Fraunhofer ILT at their company - a successful
model that will be implemented in El Paso, including student internships in Germany and
El Paso between Aconity3D and UTEP.