Oak Ridge and Mazak Built a 3D Printing Platform That Also Machines Its Own Parts

Additive and Subtractive in the Same Line

Metal 3D printing and CNC machining have mostly lived in separate worlds. The parts come off the printer, get shipped to another shop, and come back finished. Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Mazak think that workflow is unnecessarily slow. Their new platform, called VC-Ez WAAM, does the printing and the machining in sequence on the same automated line.

The system pairs a Fronius International wire arc additive manufacturing unit with two of Mazak's VC-Ez 20X 5-axis vertical machining centers. A Mazak automated palletized transfer system moves parts between the two stages on common pallets, so fixturing stays consistent throughout. The WAAM unit grows near-net-shape metal parts using standard welding wire and an electric arc. The VC-Ez 20X then finishes them to final tolerances.

Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing

WAAM is not a new technology, but it is not widely deployed in production environments either. The method deposits metal layer by layer using an electric arc and conventional welding wire. That means the feedstock is cheap, the build speed is high, and the final part has material properties close to those of a conventionally welded component. Compared to powder-bed metal 3D printing, WAAM is faster and less wasteful for large, relatively simple geometry. It is not a replacement for powder-based processes when fine surface detail or internal lattices matter, but for structural components in automotive, aerospace, and defense, it is a compelling alternative.

Fronius's integration with the Mazak platform adds automated control of the wire feed, arc parameters, and layer sequencing. The result is a repeatable build process rather than a manual welding operation.

The 5-Axis Finish Stage

The VC-Ez 20X is the machine that gives the system its precision credentials. Mazak quotes axis travel of 800 mm in X and 510 mm in both Y and Z, with rapid traverse speeds up to 32,000 mm/min on all three axes. The trunnion table uses roller gear cam technology, which Mazak says delivers either 3+2 positioning or continuous full 5-axis motion. Parts up to 400 kg and 27.5 inches in diameter can be accommodated.

After the WAAM unit builds a near-net-shape component, it is transferred to the VC-Ez 20X for 5-axis finish machining. The palletized transfer means the part does not need to be refixtured, which preserves accuracy and saves time. The system supports structural repair, rapid tooling, and near-net-shape production, covering a range of use cases that are currently handled by multiple machines and multiple handoffs.

Where It Fits in a Factory

The VC-Ez WAAM platform is aimed at manufacturers who need complex metal parts in low to medium volumes without the lead times associated with traditional tooling. Automotive and aerospace companies have been the primary customers for hybrid additive-subtractive systems to date, and defense contractors are increasingly interested in the technology for spare parts and repair operations where conventional supply chains are slow or unavailable.

What makes this platform different from some earlier hybrid systems is the level of automation. Mazak's palletized transfer is not new in itself, but combining it with a production-oriented WAAM head from Fronius creates a turnkey line rather than a research setup. The companies plan to show the system at IMTS 2026 in the AMT Emerging Technology Center, which is where manufacturing buyers typically see equipment before committing to a purchase.

What It Means for Industrial 3D Printing

Additive-plus-subtractive integration has been moving from demonstration to production for several years. Projects like this one from Mazak and ORNL represent the next step: purpose-built platforms from established machine tool OEMs rather than one-off research installations. If the system performs as quoted at IMTS, it is likely to find customers among manufacturers who have already committed to digital inventory and on-demand part production and are now looking for equipment that can handle the full process internally.