3D Printing in Montreal, a Strength for the Local Industry

Additive manufacturing or industrial 3D printing is well-established in Montreal. From the start, it has brought new life to the manufacturing industry and high-tech sectors by developing raw materials, simulation and modelling software, and specialized workmanship.

Industrial 3D printing allows industries to produce differently and represents an important link in the industrial value chain. This economic activity directly involves many multidisciplinary skills, including materials engineering specialists, mechanical engineering technicians and designers, project engineers…

In Montreal and throughout Quebec, 3D printing benefits from a well-trained workforce and contributes to the synergy between manufacturers and research and development (R&D) that takes place in our major technological schools and research organizations.

Discover how additive manufacturing uses Quebec resources to benefit manufacturers who supply various products essential to human activity.

Additive Manufacturing, a Game-Changer Technology

Additive manufacturing offers several advantages, which is why it is so attractive to companies in different fields such as aerospace, defence, electronics, transportation and mobility, medical, and industrial applications. 

Robust and Complex Parts

Industrial 3D printing and advanced materials make it possible to produce robust parts of a quality that makes them ready for use in production. Therefore, once the mechanical drawing is compliant, you quickly get a product.

Production without Manufacturing Molds

Manufacturing with 3D printing does not require a mold so it is faster and generally less expensive, depending on the project, since tooling usually requires a considerable monetary investment.

A Profitable Service

Using additive manufacturing makes even more sense in the current context of digital transformation, labour shortage, and energy transition. According to Le livre blanc sur la fabrication additive au Québec, this technology contributes to better energy transition management and a more personalized product offer in different fields. This technology creates new profitable business opportunities by optimizing the pressures exerted on resources. 

A Tool for Research and Development (R&D)

For R&D projects, additive manufacturing is a major help because it allows for the production of a single part at a time, which can be tested in a real work assembly. This makes it quick and easy to make immediate changes to the design without incurring important expenses.

The Expertise of Additive Manufacturing Teams in the Greater Montreal Area

Entrepreneurs who offer additive manufacturing services in Montreal do not work in silos, far from it. They are in constant contact with the development of raw materials, simulation and modelling software, specialized labour, and standards and requirements. These development activities create a pole of attraction for leading-edge jobs in several fields while serving as a catalyst for economic growth.

Concentration of Talent and Skills in Quebec

A study by Réseau Québec 3D published in 2016 demonstrated that most organizations in Quebec's additive manufacturing value chain are located in greater Montreal. Many manufacturing companies seek a local source of additive manufacturing products and services. All this economic activity generates a community dedicated to improving and diversifying the industrial 3D printing offering to better serve companies.

The 3D printing community includes as many raw material suppliers as part manufacturers, engineers, and parts post-processing service providers. Additive manufacturing is also an important aspect of the work that concerns public research organizations such as CRIQ or IREQ, and universities and large colleges linked to technology transfer, such as McGill University, Université de Montréal, the ÉTS, and Concordia University.

The Growth of Additive Manufacturing in Montreal 

Additive manufacturing is already an important economic factor in Montreal, and its impact is bound to grow.

The Wohlers Report, published in 2016, indicates that Canada has about 1.9% of industrial 3D printing equipment compared to 38.1% in the United States, while 17% of industries in Canada are already using industrial 3D printers.

Expanding 3D printing offerings generates economic benefits for all of Quebec by stimulating the manufacturing sector at the federal level. According to the study by Réseau Québec 3D, additive manufacturing activities could become a key factor for industrial innovation in Montreal, while sectors such as aerospace and health are already very active in the field.

Due to the many resources available to Quebec and, more particularly, Montreal, the province has the necessary assets to consolidate the ecosystem of additive manufacturing and stimulate its integration.

Strong Support for Additive Manufacturing in Quebec

Additive manufacturing has driven the assets available in Quebec to create an optimal service offer to local industries.

Developed by PRIMA Québec, Le livre blanc sur la fabrication additive au Québec, highlights some of them.

Raw Materials

Raw materials are easily accessible. Incidentally, two of the world's largest manufacturers of metal powders in additive manufacturing are located in Quebec.

Renewable Energy Resources

Additive manufacturing equipment runs on electricity, which is one of the renewable energies available in large quantities and at competitive prices in Quebec.

Sizable Business Partners

Major business partners such as Bombardier, Pratt & Whitney, 4 Kinova, CAMSO, Médicus, etc., help support the growth of industrial 3D printing service providers.

Specialized Workforce

Additive manufacturing is a pole of attraction for skilled workers in Quebec. These jobs bring, to additive manufacturing, expertise in R&D and materials engineering, among others.

Government Assistance Programs

Furthermore, Quebec benefits from government assistance programs, both provincial and federal, for R&D and the acquisition of manufacturing equipment.

Solaxis: your Additive Manufacturing Partner in Montreal

One of additive manufacturing's strengths is its immediacy. But what would immediacy be without the speed of delivery? The possibility of having a service nearby is an additional advantage to the speed of execution of industrial 3D printing.

In addition to permitting fast delivery, Solaxis facilities located less than an hour from Montreal provide customers with a multitude of advantages:

• The advanced industrial-grade additive manufacturing service of Solaxis offers a wide range of materials adapted to different requirements.
• Our testing laboratory is not only used for development, it is also designed to carry out resistance and operating tests to ensure the quality of the parts delivered.
• Our operations have an efficient and automated quality system to ensure proper management of projects in high-tech sectors.

The demand for industrial additive manufacturing services is beginning to grow exponentially in Quebec, which is not surprising given the range of possibilities offered by this technology's manufacturing processes.

Solaxis is at the forefront of this trend. We constantly improve our service offers in collaboration with our customers and suppliers. We are always on the lookout for new solutions, and we invest continuously in the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment, in the training of our employees, and in improving our offer to attract and retain the best talents in the industry.

An additive manufacturing service offers its customers not only production but also expertise and know-how. This service thus constitutes a bridge between design and execution. For a client, physical and cultural proximity allows for better interaction. The latter creates a synergy that advantageously replaces the efforts and investment required to add such a service internally. It's a win-win strategy that keeps on proving its profitability.

Do you have a project in mind? Contact us. Our team will be happy to assist you.