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Additive Manufacturing in Pipeline Production

18 Nov 2025

At the height of the 2022 energy crisis – triggered by the war in Ukraine – Europipe, a leading German manufacturer of large-diameter pipes, faced intense time pressure: a major international pipeline project required ultrasonic inspection based on a newly introduced testing standard – but no suitable testing equipment existed. Time was critical, and the competition was fierce. Together with engineering partner Süß & friends, a fully functional inspection device was developed, tested, and manufactured using industrial 3D printing – in just two weeks.

This presentation shows how additive manufacturing acted as a lever technology – enabling a high-impact solution on a tight timeline and directly contributing to securing a multimillion-euro contract. Rather than serving as a visual showcase, 3D printing became a strategic enabler under real industrial constraints. The session covers technical requirements, material choices, rapid iteration, and interdisciplinary collaboration – with a clear focus on feasibility and practical implementation.

Why this talk is a valuable addition to Formnext:
This is a real-world industrial case, not a tech demo or sales presentation. It provides an honest and detailed account of how additive manufacturing helped overcome urgent technical and organizational challenges – and became a decisive factor in a competitive business scenario. The talk offers practical insights for technical decision-makers who want to apply AM as a solution-oriented tool within development and production processes.

The session includes strong visual documentation from the actual project – from early sketches and CAD models to test setups and deployment in the production environment.

Speaker: Philipp Süß, Owner, Ingenieurbüro Süß & friends