Company BALMAR d.o.o. is privately owned small-sized enterprise (SME), established in 2008. It provides services and R&D activities for aerospace, space, biomedicine and automotive (tooling) industry. Major scope of company activities relates to advanced manufacturing/additive manufacturing providing prototyping, technology and product evaluation, industry implementation, learning and technology promotion. Major focus and references of BALMAR in additive manufacturing and production sector relate to direct energy deposition (DED) technology. Since 2011 has BALMAR been very actively involved into space industry sector (Company ESA-STAR number 1000027323), focused into improved manufacturing concepts for space mechanisms, structural and propulsion applications. These activities have been done together with European Space Agency (ESA) and other space industry partners like Beyond Gravity Germany GmbH and Thales Alenia Space Italia S.p.A. Result of these space activities is novel hybrid additive manufacturing concept, where joint use of Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) and Direct energy Deposition (DED) additive manufacturing technologies has been implemented. Such manufacturing concept provides reduced mass of the product (30% or more) at maintaining the same strength characteristics of the product, exhibiting high implementation potential for space mechanisms (compliant mechanism).
Matej Balažic (M, M.Sc.); CEO of BALMAR d.o.o.Matej Balažic is CEO of BALMAR d.o.o. He has scientific master’s degree in mechanical engineering (Production Engineering) and has been actively working on Advanced Manufacturing research and industry implementation since 2008, leading five ESA and one EUREKA projects focused into Advanced Manufacturing and novel metal materials. He is one of the leading experts for Direct Energy Deposition technology in Slovenia and one of the leading authors of novel Hybrid Additive Manufacturing Concept named »HAMC«. He is also expert for aviation and holder of commercial pilot license (used to be type rated for Fokker 70/100 a/c).