--- title: "ORNL and Mazak develop hybrid VC-Ez WAAM platform" url: https://www.voxelmatters.com/ornl-and-mazak-develop-hybrid-vc-ez-waam-platform/ date: 2026-09-10 modified: 2026-09-10 lang: en author: "Tess Boissonneault" description: "Next week at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago, AM experts and enthusiasts will have lots to see. Among these showcases will be the 11-foot-tall Aires Tide, a..." categories: - "3D Printer Hardware" - "Hybrid Manufacturing" - "Hybrid manufacturing" - "LFAM" - "Metal Additive Manufacturing" - "Wire-based metal AM" tags: - "insights" image: https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/ornl-1-640x299.jpg word_count: 479 --- # ORNL and Mazak develop hybrid VC-Ez WAAM platform Next week at the [International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS)](https://www.voxelmatters.com/imts-2026-brings-the-north-american-debut-of-eoss-six-laser-m4-onyx/) in Chicago, AM experts and enthusiasts will have lots to see. Among these showcases will be the [11-foot-tall Aires Tide](https://www.voxelmatters.com/11-ft-tall-aires-tide-and-3d-printed-drones-to-take-spotlight-at-imts-2026/), a full-scale 3D printed proof-of-concept test flight vehicle; a live demonstration of 3D printed quadcopters; and a new hybrid metal AM manufacturing solution, the VC-Ez WAAM. This new platform, co-developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Japan-based machine tool builder Mazak, is at the cutting edge of automated large-scale metal AM. The VC-Ez WAAM solution is based on two key technologies: Mazak's VC Ez-20X, a  high-accuracy five-axis machining center, and a WAAM system from Austrian welding specialist [Fronius](https://www.voxelmatters.directory/company/fronius/). Fronius entered the AM market relatively recently in 2024 with the launch of the [CMT Additive Pro](https://www.voxelmatters.com/fronius-enters-3d-printing-market-with-cmt-additive-pro/), a 3D-optimized welding solution based on its Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) process. Just this week, the company also unveiled its newest AM platform, the Additive Cell, a WAAM-based system that integrates CMT welding and intelligent process controls for the production of metal structures. [![ORNL and Mazak develop hybrid VC-Ez WAAM platform](https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/VC-Ez20x_mazak-340x191.jpg)](https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/VC-Ez20x_mazak.jpg)Mazak's VC-Ez 20X machine Within the hybrid VC-Ez WAAM, machining and WAAM are combined to unlock high-efficiency, large-scale metal 3D printing. In the additive process, near-net-shape structures are rapidly produced layer by layer using an electric arc and welding wire. In the subtractive process, Mazak's VC-Ez 20X machines enable 3+2 or full 5-axis machining for achieving fine details and tight tolerances. According to the company, the machining system offers a five-axis rotary/tilt trunnion table with roller gear cam technology, has a traverse span of 800 x 510 x 510 mm and a traverse rate of 32,000 mm/m across all three axes. The system also integrates an automated palletized transfer system from Mazak, which facilitates the movement of pallets between each production step and reduces the need for operator intervention. The Mazak machining systems are themselves equipped with MAZATROL SmoothEz5 for easy programming and controls. ORNL and Mazak's new hybrid solution has versatile applications. As the partners say, it can enable faster production rates for high-mix, low-volume parts while "maintaining an effective strategy for low-mix, high-volume production." More specifically, the system can be used for a range of applications, from structural repairs, to rapid tool production, to near-net-shape parts. “We will showcase this innovative platform during IMTS 2026 in The Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT)’s Emerging Technology Center,” commented Dan Janka, President of Mazak. “This system represents Mazak’s longstanding relationship with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in terms of machining research and the advancement of hybrid additive manufacturing technology.” As Janka says, the new VC-Ez WAAM will be showcased at the upcoming trade show, which is held from September 14-19 at McCormick Place in Chicago. There, visitors will also be able to see [EOS' new M4 Onyx LPBF platform](https://www.voxelmatters.com/imts-2026-brings-the-north-american-debut-of-eoss-six-laser-m4-onyx/) in its North American debut, Axtra3D's[ Lumia X1 stereolithography 3D printer](https://www.voxelmatters.com/axtra3d-to-bring-lumia-x1-and-axtra-workflow-to-imts/); [Solukon's SFM-AT350 depowdering system](https://www.voxelmatters.com/solukon-to-show-depowdering-system-and-simulation-software-at-imts-2026/); and much, much more.