Sigma Labs and Arete Innovative Solutions Sign Joint Venture Agreement

Sigma Labs, Inc. is the developer of in-process, non-destructive quality inspection systems for metal-based additive manufacturing and advanced manufacturing technologies, and they’ve just announced a deal that will see them form a joint venture company with Cincinnati-based Arete Innovative Solutions LLC.

To be called Arete-Sigma LLC, the JV will see the companies join forces in an effort they say will make them providers of a comprehensive metal solution for the additive manufacturing market.

The venture will offer a complete suite of services which range from design to prototyping and manufacturing of high-precision metal components.

Sigma Labs has spent the last few years focusing on “overcoming the barriers to the industrial adoption of metal 3D printing by addressing quality assurance issues.” The company boasts a technology designed to monitor the 3D metal fusion process on a layer-by-layer basis, and their SENSORPAK is a suite which combines acoustic, optical, and thermal sensors to collect in-process data on the process.

Sensors record data to document the AM build process, and Sigma Labs engineers have many years of experience in metallurgical and welding research gained at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Mark Cola, the Co-Founder and President of Sigma Labs, has more than 30 years of experience in advanced materials and welding technologies for the aerospace, nuclear energy and nuclear power generation industries through his work at Los Alamos, Rockwell International, Kelsey-Hayes Co. and Westinghouse. Cola was also a Director of Operations for the Beyond6 Sigma Division of TMC.

“The joint venture will bring unique manufacturing competencies and capabilities within the metal AM space together under one roof – giving us the ability to offer clients design, process control, and quality assurance solutions not found anywhere else,” Cola says. “It is also a means for Sigma Labs to conduct ongoing applications research in a representative market setting. The entity is dedicated to providing potential customers with access to the full benefits of additive manufacturing, and we expect to capitalize on increasing demand in the area while making it easier for adoption of metal AM in real-world applications.”

For its part, Arete Innovative Solutions is a pioneer in the metals AM process and specialists in creating custom-designed solutions. Bill Herman, President of Arete Innovative Solutions, was formerly the Vice President of Operations for Morris Technologies, Inc.

That company was acquired by GE Aviation in 2012, and at the time of the acquisition, Morris Technologies was a major service bureau provider for metal AM parts. Herman will serve as President of the Arete-Sigma joint venture.

“We’re thrilled to be working with a leader in AM quality assurance such as Sigma Labs. Arete and Sigma Labs view the 3D metal printing space as poised for significant growth over the coming decades but also in need of a new approach to both educating customers and making AM a compelling value proposition,” says Herman. “Bringing our two companies together is a sensible way to attract new clients and expand the industry by making AM applications more easily understood, implemented, and utilized for large-scale production. We look forward to a long relationship in addressing this very important market going forward.”

The joint venture represents a long-term investment on behalf of the two companies, as they solidify their place in the AM field. Both companies have expressed their satisfaction at the establishment of the venture company, as well as with its planned leadership.

“I couldn’t be happier in having it led by Bill Herman,” Cola said of the joint venture, “who brings both design experience and operational expertise from his time at Morris Technologies, previously the premier service provider in the AM metal space.”

What do you think about this joint venture between Sigma Labs and Arete Innovation Solutions to become complete solution players in the metal additive manufacturing sector? Let us know in the Sigma Labs and Arete Innovative Solutions forum thread on 3DPB.com.