Desktop Metal announced it has acquired Aidro, a pioneer in the volume production of next-generation hydraulic and fluid power systems through metal additive manufacturing (AM) across a range of industries, including oil & gas, agricultural equipment, aerospace, and mobile and industrial machinery, among others.

Founded in 1982 and based in northern Italy, Aidro has almost 40 years of experience in the design and production of valves, manifolds, and various hydraulic components and fluid power systems. Aidro offers expertise in design for additive manufacturing, including finite element analysis simulation and topology optimization techniques. Aidro engineers leverage these technical capabilities to redesign traditional hydraulic components for AM production using complex geometries to reduce weight, save space, and consolidate multiple components into one, eliminating assembly and welding requirements. Hydraulic components produced by Aidro using AM improve performance versus conventional manufacturing by optimizing flow channel placement and geometry to increase flow capacity and decrease pressure drops.

To offer customers innovative and custom solutions, Aidro has invested in AM facilities and processes alongside its conventional manufacturing capabilities. The company’s dedicated AM department features metal 3D printers, 3D scanning technologies, and ISO9001 and AS/EN9100 certifications, all leveraged to deliver high-performance products to customers, including industry-leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), while reducing production lead times for volume quantities of end-use components, spare parts, or on-demand rapid prototypes.