歐瑞康（Oerlikon）是一家有百年歷史的瑞士企業(yè)，是世界上較具創(chuàng)新力的工業(yè)集團(tuán)之一。歐瑞康在2016年底宣布將在美國密歇根州新建一座先進(jìn)材料工廠，專門生產(chǎn)增材制造金屬粉末和高端的表面涂層材料；隨后在2016年12月，歐瑞康收購了德國領(lǐng)先的金屬增材制造服務(wù)公citim，并在2017年年初奠基在美國北卡羅琳娜州新建高端增材零部件生產(chǎn)制造工廠，并計(jì)劃于2018年在中國成立零部件打印服務(wù)中心，進(jìn)一步深化了歐瑞康在全球增材制造市場的戰(zhàn)略布局。

△歐瑞康金屬粉末打印的分配器殼體

歐瑞康在金屬增材制造產(chǎn)業(yè)有怎樣的布局？為什么選擇在這個(gè)時(shí)候進(jìn)軍中國市場？帶著這些問題，南極熊于2017年10月21日對citim聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人及歐瑞康增材制造歐洲制造業(yè)務(wù)負(fù)責(zé)人Andreas Berkau先生進(jìn)行了專訪。在上海臨港松江科技城雙子樓，我們就當(dāng)前金屬3D打印市場的全球格局以及citim在金屬3D打印發(fā)展進(jìn)程中的角色進(jìn)行了深度探討。

△AndreasBerkau（右）與南極熊（左）

以下是專訪對話全文。

南極熊：首先請?jiān)试S我介紹一下自己。我來自中國最大的3D打印媒體平臺之一——南極熊。今天我很榮幸能夠采訪您。能否給我們一個(gè)簡短的自我介紹以及你與Citim和Oerlikon的關(guān)系？

Andreas Berkau：我叫Andreas Berkau，我畢業(yè)于馬格德堡大學(xué)生產(chǎn)技術(shù)專業(yè)，之后我加入了剛剛成立的Citim公司，所以我有機(jī)會成為這家公司的第一名員工，之后又成為該公司的一名股東。而這家公司在剛起步的時(shí)候就專注于快速成型技術(shù)，主要生產(chǎn)汽車行業(yè)的零件。所以我有機(jī)會接觸到最早的激光設(shè)備，并對它們的興趣濃厚。

后來公司的戰(zhàn)略方向開始逐漸轉(zhuǎn)向增材制造，于是我們從2004年開始使用第一臺基于塑料材料的3D打印設(shè)備，2009年隨著第一臺金屬3D打印設(shè)備的應(yīng)用，我們公司開始逐漸從一家原型設(shè)計(jì)公司轉(zhuǎn)型升級為一家增材制造服務(wù)公司，不久后也在美國設(shè)立了一家金屬3D打印的工廠。就在去年年底（2016年）Citim被歐瑞康收購。這是因?yàn)槿蛟霾闹圃焓袌龅难杆贁U(kuò)張，我們也要開始考慮為公司的工業(yè)化發(fā)展走好下一步。

南極熊：您的客戶在全球范圍內(nèi)來自于哪些工業(yè)領(lǐng)域？

Andreas Berkau：我認(rèn)為Citim在汽車行業(yè)有很強(qiáng)大的背景，這也是作為一家德國公司的傳統(tǒng)。但是隨著增材制造行業(yè)的發(fā)展，我們也在航空航天，能源，工業(yè)，醫(yī)療有很多應(yīng)用。

△歐瑞康在SAMA大會上展示的金屬打印件

南極熊：在所有工業(yè)領(lǐng)域中，您認(rèn)為最有前景的領(lǐng)域是什么？

Andreas Berkau：我認(rèn)為是航空航天。因?yàn)槟憧梢栽诤娇蘸教祛I(lǐng)域找到很多的應(yīng)用案例。醫(yī)療行業(yè)也是非常有前景的。我們?yōu)榭蛻籼峁┰霾闹圃斓慕鉀Q方案的過程中，其中一個(gè)主要問題是零件的成本居高不下。我認(rèn)為如果這個(gè)問題能夠得到解決的話，那么更多的工業(yè)零部件可以得益于3D打印技術(shù)。雖然我們現(xiàn)在能夠在工業(yè)、能源和汽車行業(yè)找到很多3D打印的案例，但是如果解決了成本問題，我們運(yùn)用3D打印技術(shù)的機(jī)會會有爆發(fā)式的增長。

南極熊：2014年開始，中國開始出現(xiàn)好多家金屬3D打印公司，并且每年都在增長。歐瑞康選擇這個(gè)時(shí)候進(jìn)軍中國市場，您認(rèn)為其優(yōu)勢體現(xiàn)在哪些方面？

Andreas Berkau：我認(rèn)為歐瑞康的最大優(yōu)勢在于我們不僅僅是3D打印服務(wù)提供商，我們關(guān)注的是整個(gè)3D打印產(chǎn)業(yè)端到端的價(jià)值鏈。

公司的業(yè)務(wù)重點(diǎn)首先是金屬粉末材料。歐瑞康是金屬粉末制造商，在這個(gè)領(lǐng)域有非常豐富的經(jīng)驗(yàn)。另外我們不僅僅是打印單獨(dú)的零部件，而是關(guān)注于整個(gè)零部件的生產(chǎn)制造工藝流程。這就意味著我們需要整合一整套的后處理工序。收購Citim是歐瑞康進(jìn)軍增材制造事業(yè)的戰(zhàn)略布局第一步，我們有著豐富的經(jīng)驗(yàn)并且能夠靈活應(yīng)用。憑借著這種一整套的生產(chǎn)制造鏈，我認(rèn)為歐瑞康在市場上具有獨(dú)特的地位。

南極熊：您認(rèn)為目前阻礙金屬3D打印產(chǎn)業(yè)的因素有哪些？

Andreas Berkau：我認(rèn)為有很多。相比其它的傳統(tǒng)制造產(chǎn)業(yè)，金屬3D打印是一種全新的技術(shù)，所以行業(yè)中還沒有權(quán)威的制定標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。有時(shí)候遇到產(chǎn)品質(zhì)量表面不合格的情況，這也是由于技術(shù)不成熟的原因?qū)е碌摹Ｒ虼四憔鸵仨毐ＷC產(chǎn)品在其生產(chǎn)周期中，它們的質(zhì)量穩(wěn)定性和一致性。

另外我認(rèn)為未來的一大挑戰(zhàn)是我們?nèi)绾闻囵B(yǎng)設(shè)計(jì)師，讓他們發(fā)掘3D打印在工業(yè)應(yīng)用上的潛力。傳統(tǒng)的制造思維與3D打印格格不入。為產(chǎn)品找到正確的三維設(shè)計(jì)方案很重要，然而現(xiàn)在很多設(shè)計(jì)師缺乏3D打印的設(shè)計(jì)理念和經(jīng)驗(yàn)。你當(dāng)然可以通過傳統(tǒng)制造方式來制造產(chǎn)品，但是如果你能夠找到3D打印技術(shù)的可能性，你就能擺脫傳統(tǒng)思維的限制，開辟巨大的設(shè)計(jì)空間，創(chuàng)造出全新的、傳統(tǒng)思維難以制造的產(chǎn)品。

當(dāng)然我們面臨的挑戰(zhàn)不止這些，現(xiàn)階段的設(shè)備昂貴、生產(chǎn)效率不夠理想。在未來如果價(jià)格能夠降下來，我相信這個(gè)產(chǎn)業(yè)會有更多的機(jī)會出現(xiàn)。

△歐瑞康在SAMA大會上展示的金屬打印件

南極熊：您剛才提到成本問題，成本下降是一個(gè)過程。您認(rèn)為這個(gè)過程還需要多久？

Andreas Berkau：我認(rèn)為其中一個(gè)主要因素是設(shè)備成本。如果設(shè)備的供應(yīng)量增加市場就有希望把價(jià)格降下來。另外一個(gè)方面，我看到近幾年越來越多的新技術(shù)出現(xiàn)，比如惠普也開始憑借他們獨(dú)特的技術(shù)信心滿滿地進(jìn)軍3D打印市場，這些都有可能推動(dòng)3D打印行業(yè)的發(fā)展并降低成本。

南極熊：最后一個(gè)問題。您對未來的金屬3D打印的發(fā)展有何預(yù)期？

Andreas Berkau：從全球范圍來看，我認(rèn)為金屬3D打印產(chǎn)業(yè)才剛剛開始。由于是一門全新的技術(shù)，在很多工業(yè)應(yīng)用中它都無法與傳統(tǒng)制造方式抗衡，但我相信它將來在制造業(yè)中會具有舉足輕重的地位。如果你有機(jī)會在這種技術(shù)發(fā)展的早期切入這個(gè)產(chǎn)業(yè)，那么將來你一定會成為這個(gè)行業(yè)的領(lǐng)軍者。

第二屆SAMA國際論壇上，Andreas Berkau先生發(fā)表重要演講。演講主題：金屬增材制造在工業(yè)燃?xì)廨啓C(jī)和汽車領(lǐng)域的應(yīng)用和發(fā)展趨勢。

關(guān)于citim

創(chuàng)建于1996年的citim是從德國馬格德堡大學(xué)分離出來的一家公司。citim是增材制造金屬部件的領(lǐng)先供應(yīng)商，主要為航空航天、能源、醫(yī)藥和汽車行業(yè)提供服務(wù)。2004年citim發(fā)布激光燒結(jié)技術(shù)，并于2009年將激光熔化技術(shù)推向市場。2016年，瑞士歐瑞康集團(tuán)完成了對citim的收購。

英文專訪錄音原文

Nanjixiong: First please allow me to introduce myself. I’mfrom Nanjixiong which is China’s biggest 3D printing media platform.

It is my honourtoday to give you an interview. Let’s start with the first question. Could you give us a brief self-introductionof yourself and your relationship with citim and the Oerlikon?

Andreas Berkau: Yeah of course. My name is Andreas Berkau. My background, I’m a mechanical engineer. Igraduated from University of Magdeburg and after that I had a chance to join citim,which was founded at this time and so I had a chance to be the first employeein this company and later to one of the shareholders of this company. And this company was focused at the beginningon rapid prototyping, mainly to produce parts for example automotive industry. SoI had a chance to work with one of the first laser machines. It was fascinatingfor me. It was a basic idea to installsome 3D printing equipment in the company. And we started in 2004 with the first plastic machines, 2009 with thefirst metal machines and it changed a little from a prototyping company to anadditive manufacturing company and then as well we opened a facility in the USjust for printing 3D printing metal. Andat the end of last year, citim was acquired from Oerlikon because as the marketfor additive manufacturing changed dramatically and so and definitely we haveto go the next step in our industrialisation.

Nanjixiong: What industrial areas areyour customers coming from in global?

Andreas Berkau: I think citim has a strong background inautomotive industry because as a German company we always have a strongbackground in our automotive. But with additivemanufacturing that changed as well to aero space, energy, general industry andof course some medical application.

Nanjixiong: Among all the industrial areas what do youthink is the most promising area ?

Andreas Berkau: Right now I think the most comes from aerospace,because you can already find some business cases in aerospace. I think medical as well. Because there are always some businesscases. But when we solve the mainproblems for additive manufacturing and one of the main problems is the cost ofthe parts. I think then you have accessto a lot more parts of areas of the industry. I think you can always find some applications in the general industry, Powergeneration as well as automotive. But itwill be much more when we have solved some price topics, Which will widen therange.

Nanjixiong: Since 2014 there are quite a lot of metal 3Dprinting companies founded in China. What do you think are the advantages ofOerlikon entering China market?

Andreas Berkau: I think the big advantage of Oerlikon is thatwe are not just a 3D printing provider. We are focusing on a whole value chain.

It starts with most importanttopic which is the materials. Oerlikon is a powder producer. I have a long time experience withmanufacturing powder materials. Itbrings experience with printing of components and in combination we’re not justprinting parts we are focusing on the component. That means the component is necessary forpost processing and do finishing and applying coding. With this kind of combinationI think Oerlikon has the unique position on the market.

Nanjixiong: Oerlikon is mainly focusedon the metal materials and the citim is mainly focused on the 3D printingservices.

Andreas Berkau: citim is a startingpoint, which is the nucleolus of the 3D printing activities from Oerlikon. We have the experience and we can transferthe experience. It comes all together, which is a good starting point to expandall activities.

Nanjixiong: What do you think are theobstacles that prevent the metal 3D printing in the global?

Andreas Berkau: There are somechallenges. I think the challenges are, one topic is it’s a brand newtechnology so there are not so many standards established in the industry. Thereare a lot of activities to establish some standards. Because this technology isbrand new. So you always have to be surethat you can produce the same quality over a lifetime of a product. So thereare some standards missing and I think quality is a key point. Of course, you do have some issues withsurface qualities sometimes but it’s a definitely a new technology to produceparts.

I think one of themain challenges in the future is we have to teach the designer aboutpossibilities that 3D printing can offer. Traditional thinking is not in 3Dprinting. So I think there is a lack ofknowledge for the designers and it is really important that you apply the rightdesign for parts. If you just doing aconventional design and try to print these parts of course it’s possible. But when you have the right design, I thinkthere is more possibilities to find new products and to design complete newcomponents. And of course there are someother challenges as well. Machines areexpensive and productivity is not so high. That means the costs for parts are really high and you have to find theright components today. It is possibleto find components but you have to pick up the right components. And in the future when the price comes downfor materials, for machines, and I think there are more opportunities.

Nanjixiong: You mentioned cost, how long do you thinkwill the cost in metal 3d printing industry coming down?

Andreas Berkau: That is a difficult question. Of course we produce parts, but as a mainquestion I think it is more related to the machine suppliers because they aremore able to reduce the price. I thinkto have, if you have more machines than market then we have scaling for themachine manufactures and then the machine price will come down. That is one topic and on the other hand yousee some new technologies coming to the market for printing as well metalparts. I think that maybe will have more speed in the future to decrease theprice. You can see the same right nowfor plastic parts since HP jumped into the market with a lot of promise. The speed for new developments will increase.And I see the same for metal.

Nanjixiong: So next question. What is your vision of this metal 3D printingin Europe?

Andreas Berkau: I think it’s more in theglobe because it’s a brand new technology and we are just starting. We have to exploreit. So right now it is interesting and fascinating but it is still aniche. I think my vision is that thistechnology will definitely be a standard technology in the future. For someapplications it will not compete with existing technologies but it is a newtechnology to produce parts and I think it will be established more or less inall industry in the future. That is whyI think this really small business when you look at the global scale I think itwill be a standard in the future for many industries. And I think there is a chance if you areearly in this industry and that you will be one of the leader in the future.

Nanjixiong: This is all my questions Ihave for today. Thank you very much.

Andreas Berkau: You are very welcome.