At the bustling IMTS 2024 in Chicago, a city that has long symbolized American industrial prowess, Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies Global (HMT) is making waves. Led by co-founder and CEO Jason Jones, the company has pioneered a novel approach to manufacturing that seamlessly integrates additive and subtractive processes. The goal? To push the boundaries of efficiency and scalability in manufacturing while addressing critical gaps in both 3D printing and traditional methods.

“We live at the interface between 3D printing and mainstream manufacturing,” Jones explained during our interview. The “hybrid” in their name is no mere buzzword—it reflects a revolutionary combination of technologies. Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies Global (HMT) focuses on blending additive manufacturing, particularly metal deposition and polymer extrusion, with conventional subtractive techniques like CNC machining. As Jones quipped, “We’re like an athlete that can do more than one sport.”

The company’s approach leverages existing machine platforms from your traditional CNC to gantries and robots, equipping them with deposition heads that allow for both 3D printing and traditional machining within the same system. This unique integration helps streamline production processes and opens up opportunities for industries ranging from power generation and oil and gas to the highly demanding mold manufacturing sector. “We can make things out of more than one material, giving customers the best of both worlds—like using bronze to wick away heat and adding a hard-facing material for durability,” Jones elaborated.

Driving Innovation with Practicality

HMT’s cutting-edge innovations aren’t just theoretical. At IMTS 2024, the company introduced its new Flex 22 head, a tool designed to print inside hard-to-reach areas. According to Jones, this new head is poised to significantly improve manufacturing flexibility. “We’re excited to show the Flex 22 here at IMTS,” Jones noted, gesturing toward the equipment behind him. HMT also unveiled a high-speed laser deposition head that applies ultra-thin metal layers—a breakthrough that could compete with traditional chrome plating methods, which are becoming increasingly regulated due to environmental concerns.

In fact, sustainability is at the core of many of HMT’s innovations. The company’s extra high-speed laser deposition technology (EHLA) offers a cleaner, more efficient alternative to hexavalent chrome, which has been flagged for its human and environmental risks. “We’re offering a way to apply coatings more sustainably, which could have a real financial and environmental impact,” Jones added.

(more…)