AFU
Provides metal additive manufacturing (L-PBF) services for precision mechanical parts, specializing in challenging materials like pure copper and CuCrZr alloy, reducing lead times for prototypes and small series.
- CEO / Founder
- Sylvaine Blancard
- Team Size
- 11-50
- Stage
- Active
- Total Funding
- $8.7M
- Latest Round
- $8.7M grant from Air Force Research Laboratory
Technology & Products
Key Products
Metal 3D printing (L-PBF/SLM); Precision machining (milling, turning); Post-processing (brazing, welding); Mechanical studies and industrialization solutions
Technological Advantage
Proprietary process parameters for challenging materials like copper, protected by operational know-how; uses standard EOS M400 machines but optimizes for higher precision (40µm vs. industry 80µm).
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Offers a turnkey service combining metal 3D printing with precision machining, enabling rapid production of high-density (>99.5%) parts in materials like copper for thermal/electrical applications, cutting development cycles.
How They Differentiate
Focuses on service-based metal AM with deep material expertise (e.g., copper), unlike hardware manufacturers; offers integrated machining and post-processing, providing end-to-end solutions for small series.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Industrial clients requiring complex, bespoke metal parts and prototypes
Industry Verticals
Aerospace; Automotive; Luxury/Design; Industrial manufacturing
Competitors
EOS GmbH; SLM Solutions; AddUp
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
AFU received a €100,000 grant from the Bretagne region in 2014 for purchasing its first metal 3D printer, and has since expanded with a second metal 3D printer and acquisition of Roty & fils.
Major Milestones
2014: Entered metal additive manufacturing with L-PBF investment; 2021: Began producing parts in pure copper and CuCrZr via additive manufacturing; 2024: Achieved repeatable printing of CuCrZr at 40µm resolution on standard machines