FRANKFURT (Reuters) – U.S. conglomerate General Electric GE.N has agreed to buy privately held German 3D printing firm Concept Laser for 549 million euros ($599 million), it said on Thursday, after its bid for rival SLM Solutions AM3D.DE failed.
GE and its competitors have begun to invest seriously in 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, which produces parts with less work than traditional production methods, generates less scrap material and expands design possibilities.