MTU Aero Engines is taking over the automation and measurement technology specialist 3D.aero from Hamburg. 3D.aero's team of around 40 members specializes in sensor solutions in the fields of high-precision surface inspection and painting automation, as well as system engineering in aviation.

“In the past years, MTU and 3D.aero have pooled their technological know-how and innovative strength and successfully implemented projects together. That saves MTU and its customers time and hence money, especially in maintenance. It therefore simply makes sense to keep this expertise within the company permanently,” says Michael Schreyögg, Chief Program Officer at MTU Aero Engines AG.

There are currently three 3D.aero systems in use at MTU, and further systems are planned. Schreyögg: “With the jointly developed inspection, repair, and assembly technologies, we are driving the future topic of automation further forward in our sector. In so doing we are not only securing MTU's own needs but can also make the solutions available to our partners and customers, and thus grow profitably together.”

“Being a part of MTU offers us the opportunity to better scale our products in the industrial environment,” says the delighted Managing Director of 3D.aero, Sönke Bahr, who will also be head of 3D.aero in the future and manage the company together with his co-founders. “The strong partner network of our parent company MTU gives us valuable market access in aviation, both to the worldwide OEMs and to the maintenance service providers.”

In the field of painting automation, 3D.aero also offers solutions for construction and agricultural machinery, commercial vehicles, rail transport, and general mechanical engineering. The company will also market and further develop its solutions independently in these sectors in the future.

MTU is taking over 3D.aero from the previous shareholders: the employee shareholding company Ce iX GmbH, IT Concepts GmbH, and ESPACE 2001 S.A. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.