Open Additive
Develops open-architecture laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) metal 3D printers and in-situ process monitoring software, enabling affordable, configurable metal AM for research, defense, and industrial production.
- CEO / Founder
- Ty Pollak
- Team Size
- 2-10
- Stage
- Active
- Total Funding
- $3.69M
- Latest Round
- Grant
Technology & Products
Key Products
PANDA™ Metal 3D Printing System, AMSENSE® Sensing/Analytics Suite
Technological Advantage
(1) CLAIMED: Open, configurable hardware/software ecosystem reduces costs and accelerates R&D. (2) VERIFIED: Successfully deployed for USAF CRP contracts and academic institutions; AMSENSE integrates third-party analytics (Addiguru) for real-time process control. DEFENSIBLE via SBIR/STTR IP, defense security clearances, and proprietary integration frameworks.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Reduces metal AM system acquisition and operational costs by 30-50% versus proprietary platforms while eliminating vendor lock-in through open-architecture hardware and affordable in-situ monitoring, enabling defense and research teams to rapidly iterate materials and processes without multi-year service contracts.
How They Differentiate
Unlike EOS and SLM Solutions which rely on closed, proprietary ecosystems with high service costs, Open Additive’s PANDA system offers fully open architecture for custom lasers, optics, and materials. AMSENSE provides affordable, modular process monitoring at significantly lower cost than enterprise alternatives, prioritizing configurability and defense-grade adaptability over mass-production throughput.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Defense contractors, aerospace manufacturers, research institutions, and industrial part producers seeking configurable, vendor-agnostic metal AM systems.
Industry Verticals
Aerospace & Defense; Research & Academia; Industrial Manufacturing
Competitors
EOS, SLM Solutions, BLT
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Approximately 11 employees as of February 2022; operates as the dedicated AM business unit of Universal Technology Corporation (now under ARCTOS group); 1,070+ LinkedIn followers.
Major Milestones
Spinout from Universal Technology Corporation as independent LLC; Awarded USAF CRP contract for quad-laser LPBF platform development; Strategic partnership with Addiguru to integrate real-time powder bed analytics into AMSENSE; Deployment of PANDA systems at OSU CDME and Somerset Community College
Notable Customers
US Department of Defense, US Air Force, US Army