Polski
Metal 3D Printing Conquers Aviation, While Poland's Machinery Industry Grows at a Record Pace
This week in the metal industry brings together two very different scales – laboratory-grade precision and hard macroeconomic data. On one hand, a Chinese company proves that metal 3D printing can outperform traditional casting in terms of strength; on the other, Statistics Poland (GUS) publishes figures showing that Polish production of machinery and electrical equipment is accelerating like never before in years. We take a look at what these developments say about the condition and direction of the sector.
01 · Metal 3D Printing
Nickel, Copper and Aviation: Metal 3D Printing Passes the Strength Test [1]
This week's most interesting news from the additive manufacturing front comes from China. Eplus3D supported Young-Will Aerospace in validating the LPBF (Laser Powder Bed Fusion) process for a nickel-copper alloy used in aviation applications. Tests were carried out on the EP-M400 printer, and the results surprised even the engineers themselves: tensile strength reached 570 MPa – as much as 18% higher than the same alloy produced using traditional casting.
This isn't just a materials-science curiosity – for the aviation industry, where every gram and every megapascal matters, such a result represents a genuine opportunity to replace cast components with printed ones without compromising on strength. The same roundup of additive manufacturing news also included word that Meltio announced a US version of its Robot Cell for laser wire metal printing. Local production and service in the US are meant to shorten delivery times for customers there – a sign that the metal 3D printing market is maturing not only technologically, but logistically as well.
While additive technologies push material boundaries abroad, equally strong signals are coming from factories in Poland engaged in traditional metalworking and machinery production.
02 · Market and Production
GUS: Polish Industry Accelerates, with Machinery and Electrical Equipment Leading the Growth [2]
Statistics Poland (GUS) has published data for August 2026 showing that sold industrial production grew by 4.3% year on year. That's a result slightly below analysts' expectations, but as usual, the devil is in the details. While the headline figure isn't particularly impressive, the breakdown by industry reveals something that should catch the attention of anyone following the machinery and equipment market in Poland.
Machinery and equipment production skyrocketed by as much as 122.8% year on year, while electrical equipment production grew by 18.7%. This is a scale of growth the sector hasn't seen in a long time. What's more, the three-month average production dynamic reached its highest level since November 2022, suggesting this isn't a one-off spike but a genuine recovery in Polish manufacturing after years of stagnation.
For companies involved in metalworking, CNC machining, welding or industrial automation, this is very good news – rising production of machinery and electrical equipment means greater demand for components, tools, subcontracting services and measurement technologies that drive the entire supply chain in this sector.
Summary
Summary
This week showed two sides of the same coin: global additive technologies are making increasingly confident inroads into aviation applications, while Poland's machinery industry is posting growth rates not seen in years. Both of these threads – new materials and rising demand for machinery – will continue at Warsaw MetalTech – Targi Technologii, Maszyn i Narzędzi do Obróbki Metalu, where manufacturers, suppliers and buyers from across the industry will come together. Stay tuned for the next editions of our roundup, and be sure to mark the trade fair dates in your calendar.
Invitation
From validating aviation alloys to record-breaking growth in machinery production – the metalworking industry is accelerating on multiple fronts at once. See these trends live at Warsaw MetalTech – Targi Technologii, Maszyn i Narzędzi do Obróbki Metalu, where you'll meet suppliers of 3D printing, CNC machining, welding and industrial automation. Save the date and stay up to date with what's driving the market.
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