Lufthansa Technik and Pepperl+Fuchs have established a joint venture company which aims to digitalise manufacturing operations in the aerospace industry.
The new company – called 3D.aero – will research, develop and sell “innovative automation solutions for the aviation industry”, say the companies.
It will also work on solutions for the digitalisation of workshops.
Its headquarters are at the ZAL TechCenter in Hamburg-Finkenwerder, which the companies claim is one of the largest and most modern aviation research centers in the world.
This location will enable 3D.aero to network with other aviation companies, they add.
Besides industrial workshop and factory automation solutions, 3D.aero will also offer the application of optical measuring devices, digital inspection and image processing applications and related consulting services.
The company will operate as a modern start-up and have flat hierarchies, with the young team consisting mainly of Pepperl+Fuchs employees and graduates of the Institute for Aircraft Production Technology at Hamburg University of Technology.
Bernhard Krueger-Sprengel, senior vice president engine services at Lufthansa Technik, says: “We are delighted to have won Pepperl+Fuchs, a leading manufacturer of electronic components and sensors for factory and process automation, as a partner.
“This will enable us to keep pursuing our Industry 4.0 strategy and use this know-how for our processes and products.”
While 3D.aero was founded as part of a project at the Lufthansa Technik engine services division, it will serve all Lufthansa Technik divisions as well as other companies in the aviation industry.
Pepperl+Fuchs says this is another milestone in its expansion strategy.
Dr Gunther Kegel, CEO of Pepperl+Fuchs, says: “Thanks to this joint venture, we are now able to apply our long-term expertise in industrial automation in the aviation industry as well.
“So we are especially looking forward to our close collaboration with Lufthansa Technik.”
