Additive manufacturing is changing how industrial parts are designed and produced. At RICAIP Testbed Prague, part of the Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics and Cybernetics at CTU in Prague, Václav Voltr focuses on turning advanced 3D printing technologies into solutions that can really be used in industry. As Head of the Additive Manufacturing Lab, he leads a team working on practical applications of both metal and polymer 3D printing.
Václav originally joined the testbed as an R&D engineer specialising in robotic additive manufacturing. During his university studies, he focused mainly on materials science, which sparked his long-term interest in additive manufacturing. At CIIRC and within Testbed, he gradually expanded his expertise beyond printing itself, gaining experience in robotics, digital manufacturing, digital twins, and multiphysics simulations. He also worked on improving robotic accuracy using feedback from laser trackers, an important step toward reliable industrial use.
Today, Václav and his team operate a wide range of industrial 3D printing technologies for both polymers and metals. They provide custom production, small-series manufacturing, and prototyping for companies from many different industrial sectors. But their work is not just about printing parts. They also help companies design parts for additive manufacturing, adapt existing designs, and turn research results into products that can actually be manufactured. Very often, development, testing, and production take place in one environment, which helps speed up innovation.
For companies, working with RICAIP Testbed Prague means access to industrial-grade technologies, expert knowledge, and a research environment at the same time. This allows them to test new ideas, materials, and production concepts without having to invest in expensive equipment right away. Testbed helps reduce technical risk and shortens the path from an idea to a working solution. In many cases, companies come with a problem rather than a finished design. And that is exactly where this cooperation makes the most sense.
This year, Václav is working together with his colleague Tomáš Jochman on projects focused on robotic metal deposition for shaft refurbishment. This includes building screw geometries on shafts and finishing them with precision grinding. At the same time, the Additive Manufacturing Lab is expanding its robotic metal printing cell by adding a second robot dedicated to grinding and finishing operations. This will create a hybrid manufacturing workplace that combines additive and subtractive processes in one automated system. The goal is to move closer to fully integrated, industrial-ready hybrid manufacturing, where printed parts can be finished directly without manual work. Through this approach, Václav and his team are helping bring advanced additive manufacturing closer to everyday industrial use.