By Michael Dabaie

General Electric Co., Fraunhofer IGCV and voxeljet AG are in a research partnership to develop a 3D printer for offshore wind applications to streamline the production of components of GE's Haliade-X offshore wind turbine.

The Advance Casting Cell 3D printer under development will get financial support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The printer will be capable of printing molds to cast components for the nacelle of the GE Haliade-X that can each weigh more than 60 metric tons, 3D printers company voxeljet said.

A nacelle is a housing unit on top of the tower of a wind generator that contains its mechanical components.

The printer will reduce the time it takes to produce this pattern and mold from ten weeks or more to two weeks, voxeljet said.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology IGCV is responsible for casting and materials technology issues, as well as digital process monitoring.

The partners expect to launch the project during the third quarter of 2021 with initial printer trials starting during the first quarter of 2022.

Voxeljet ADRs rose 12% to $7.88 in premarket trading.

Write to Michael Dabaie at michael.dabaie@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 16, 2021 08:38 ET (12:38 GMT)

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