REGIONAL COMPETENCE CENTRE
Additive Centre
of Excellence
A regional powerhouse for industrial 3D printing — where research, production and qualification meet under one roof.
ACE is an industrial collaboration between academia and business that makes additive manufacturing accessible, qualified and industrially relevant. We connect advanced manufacturing in metal and polymer with precision machining, testing, qualification and documentation.
What is ACE?
Additive Center of Excellence is a regional competence and innovation centre for additive manufacturing in Rogaland — in metal, polymer and other materials.
The centre is built as a partnership between academia, industry and the public sector, with the aim of strengthening industrial infrastructure, competence and competitiveness within advanced manufacturing.
Industrial hub
Focus on production, R&D and qualification. Industrial capacity for metal-based 3D printing using Powder Bed Fusion (PBF), combined with CNC machining, post-processing and quality control. Everything under one roof — from powder to finished, documented component.
Academic hub
Focus on research, teaching and student innovation. Laboratories for polymer- and metal-based 3D printing, testing and material characterisation, as well as new research programmes and courses of study within additive manufacturing and materials technology.
Why do we need this?
01
The technology is ready — the industry lacks infrastructure
Additive manufacturing has been proven time and time again — in metal, polymer and composite. However, the industry in Rogaland lacks local access to qualified production capacity, systematic testing and competence environments. ACE fills this gap.
02
From pilot to production
Most AM projects stall after the pilot. Not because the technology fails, but because the road from a successful test to a qualified, repeatable production process is long and demanding. ACE is built to take that road.
03
Cross-functional competence
Additive manufacturing requires multidisciplinary expertise that is currently fragmented. AM expertise resides in research environments, while industry requirements lie with operators and suppliers. ACE connects these and builds the missing overlap.
04
Regional competitiveness
Rogaland is Norway's most concentrated region for the energy and supplier industry. ACE provides the region with industrial infrastructure for advanced manufacturing — strengthening competitiveness and facilitating the green transition.
Metal 3D printing
Industrial Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) in metal for complex components in Inconel, steel and alloys for energy, defence and healthcare.
Polymer-based 3D printing
Advanced polymer 3D printing for prototyping, functional testing and production. Includes recycling technology for 3D printing waste.
CNC machining
Precision machining of critical surfaces, tolerances, threads and sealing faces. Most AM parts need this to become production-ready.
Testing and material characterisation
Mechanical testing, NDT, metallurgical analysis and corrosion assessment — for both metal and polymer. The data foundation for qualification.
Qualification and documentation
Full documentation in accordance with DNV, API, NORSOK and ASTM. Qualification route independent of material and process.
Research and expertise
PhD programmes, study topics and industrial projects. Next-generation engineers with hands-on AM experience.
Is ACE relevant to you?
Operators and energy companies
You have the components, requirements and standards. We have the production capacity and qualification expertise. Together, we are building qualification cases for industrial AM in operation.
Suppliers and equipment manufacturers
Expensive parts, long lead times, obsolete components. Metal or polymer AM offers new opportunities — ACE is the place to test, qualify and document it.
Material suppliers and technology companies
You develop powders, filaments, machines or software. ACE provides an industrial testing arena with real requirements and a direct connection to end users.
Defence actors
Shorter supply lines, faster access to spare parts and local production of critical components. Directly relevant to defence capability and preparedness.
Health and medical technology
Patient-specific implants, surgical instruments and prostheses with geometries that cannot be produced traditionally. Qualified manufacturing and documentation for medical technology components.
Students and researchers
Access to industrial AM equipment, real-world projects and a multidisciplinary environment. Relevant expertise and a clear career path into industry.
Become part of the ecosystem
ACE is built as an open partnership. We believe that industrial additive manufacturing only succeeds if the right stakeholders are involved from the start — operators, suppliers, material manufacturers, certification bodies, researchers and authorities.
We have already seen widespread interest from industry, with partners across the energy sector, healthcare, certification and defence. Is this relevant to your business?
Access to infrastructure
Metal and polymer 3D printers, CNC machines, test laboratories and research facilities.
Influence on direction
You define which materials, processes and standards are to be prioritised.
Pilot projects with qualification
Not just a printed part, but a complete qualification case with documentation.
Research approach
Direct link to PhD programmes, master's dissertations and systematic testing.
Network
Cross-disciplinary ecosystem of industry, academia and public sector actors.
Green production, stronger region
Additive manufacturing uses only the material that is needed — layer by layer, in metal as in polymer. Dramatically less material waste, lower energy consumption and reduced waste.
Local production capacity for advanced components
New jobs in high-tech manufacturing
Strengthened competence base at universities and industry
Platform for the green transition in the supply industry
Shorter and more resilient supply chains
Let’s have a chat
Whether you want to explore partnerships, have a specific component you want to test, or are simply curious about what additive manufacturing can do for your business — we are happy to have a chat.