Wayland Additive, a Huddersfield-based deep-tech startup founded in 2019, specialises in developing electron beam additive metal manufacturing machines and technology.
Wayland Additive’s powder bed electron beam additive manufacturing machine has unique patented technology improving performance and capability over competitive systems, making it ideally suited to the requirements of the medical implant industry where cost and lead times are critical drivers. Similarly, the ability to process a wide range of “difficult to process” materials makes Wayland Additive’s technology attractive to a broader range of industries such as aerospace, oil and gas, mining and automotive.
As a startup, however, Wayland Additive faced significant challenges inherent to developing complex hardware involving mechanical, electrical, electronics and the physical sciences.
Funded by venture capitalists – who are typically averse to high-risk investments – the company required alternative, parallel funding to support its innovative, yet somewhat risky, activities. Additionally, the small team needed access to specialised skills and equipment, often beyond their financial reach, making collaboration with universities essential but cost-prohibitive.
Wayland Additive joined the AMPI consortium and secured funding through UKRI’s Strength in Places Fund. This enabled the company to develop its core technology, whilst accessing critical skills and resources from partners such as the University of Huddersfield and electrochemical polishing machine tool supplier Holdson.
AMPI allowed Wayland Additive to engage in these vital collaborations that would otherwise have been financially unfeasible. Through AMPI, Wayland Additive was able to mature the machine and its external accessories (such as accessories that get the powder into the machine, take the powder out of the machine, recycle the powder, and prepare it for use for the next build), improving its reliability and useability to meet industry demands and, particularly for medical sectors, streamline the regulatory compliance process without the need for clinical trials.
“We developed our concept and delivered to our first customer in three and a half years. This is an extraordinary achievement, testament to the technical skills and dedication of the Wayland Additive team, with the key enablement from AMPI and UKRI funding. It’s the funding we need to develop and overcome the risk-based aspects of our technology.”
Ian Laidler, CTO, Wayland Additive.
