DETROIT, MI, Apr 8, 2025 – Advanced Printed Electronic Solutions (APES) has partnered with KRONOS Mechatronics based out of Nürnberg, Germany. Through this collaboration, APES will include KRONOS’ additively manufactured electronics (AME) systems – Helios and Hyperion – in its product portfolio, allowing it to support applications from R&D prototyping to production manufacturing.
APES will also support the next generation of 3D AME CAD/CAM software platform Aion 5X developed by KRONOS, which supports multiple machine architectures, including Helios and Hyperion systems. APES plans to integrate Aion 5X as a software option for the Matrix6D production system. This will provide an integrated CAD/CAM solution for multiple AME platforms from KRONOS and APES. It supports product design, simulation, and tool path generation for R&D prototyping and production-bound applications. The Aion 5X CAD/CAM software is central to APES’s strategy to deliver advanced development tools and flexible factory systems. The solutions support mass customization, high-mix production, and rapid iteration.
“As we grow our portfolio to include the KRONOS Helios and Hyperion, along with the APES Matrix6D platforms our goal is to offer customers a complete set of solutions that support them from early R&D prototyping through pilots, to large-scale production,” said Rich Neill, CEO of APES. “KRONOS’ Helios and Hyperion systems are powerful solutions for additive manufactured electronics R&D prototyping, and they complement Matrix6D’s strengths in scaling and orchestration. We’re excited to work with KRONOS to give our customers a unified platform strategy encompassing the full lifecycle of AME product development and manufacturing.”
Advanced Platforms, Industry Leading Capabilities
“With Helios, Hyperion, and our Aion 5X software platform, we’re reshaping the future of functional electronics – from design to control to production. This isn’t just machinery – it’s the operating system for smarter, faster, next-gen additively manufactured electronics,” said Jörg Dickerboom, CEO, KRONOS Mechatronics.
Helios and Hyperion have been updated and relaunched under KRONOS Mechatronics, who acquired the assets of Neotech AMT in 2024. Both systems offer industry-leading robust 5-axis motion control and support a wide range of print and post-processing technologies, including:
- Piezo and Ink Jetting
- Aerosol-based deposition
- Dispensing
- Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) and Wire Encapsulating Additive Manufacturing
- Plasma Cleaning, UV Curing, and CNC Milling
- Surface mount device (SMD) Pick-and-Place integration
- Laser-based tool calibration unit and substrate camera with advanced vison operations
With modular configurations and extensive materials compatibility – ranging from nanoparticle inks to high-viscosity pastes – the systems support complex, multi-material functional printing for 3D electronics, mechatronics, and additively manufactured electronic systems.
Helios is optimized for compact prototyping environments, while Hyperion features a motion envelope and extended capabilities. Both are well-suited for additive prototyping, application development, and low-volume manufacturing of printed electronics.
Software Continuity with Aion 5X
“Aion 5X is the leading OS, Helios and Hyperion are the engines – together, they power the future of additive electronics,” said Jörg Dickerboom, CEO of KRONOS Mechatronics.
KRONOS’ Aion 5X software is key to both companies’ plans. The platform supports 5-axis simultaneous printing and 3+2 indexed printing. It provides tool-path simulation with collision detection and creates G-code using a machine-specific ISO standard post-processor. It also includes integrated CAM checks and look-ahead functions for smoother prints.
This software stack will be used in Matrix6D workflows, providing design continuity across R&D and production-scale platforms.
“Software is the connective tissue between these tools,” said Neill. “By aligning with KRONOS on CAD/CAM software technologies, we’re helping customers carry their designs from the lab bench to the factory floor without having to reinvent the process at every step.”
A Unified Vision for Additively Manufactured Electronics
The partnership underscores APES’s commitment to enabling adaptive, modular additive manufacturing environments. The company’s Matrix6D platform – debuting at RAPID + TCT – reimagines production as a software-defined grid of configurable tool stations and mobile build platforms. By integrating KRONOS’ systems and software, APES can support the product lifecycle, from prototypes to the production of thousands of units per year.
“Our goal is to give customers a complete digital factory strategy,” said Neill. “From R&D and pilot fabrication within Helios or Hyperion, to running orchestrated, complex multi-process job workflows on Matrix6D. We’re building a coherent, scalable pathway for AME innovation and adoption while enabling a strategy for cost-efficient large-scale AM production.”
Source: Advanced Printed Electronic Solutions
About Advanced Printed Electronic Solutions (APES)
Advanced Printed Electronic Solutions (APES), founded in 2019 and headquartered in Fishkill, New York, specializes in multi-material, multi-tool, 5-axis additive manufactured electronics (AME). The company offers engineering services encompassing hardware and software development, process engineering, and manufacturing. APES serves aerospace, defense, medical devices, and consumer electronics industries, providing solutions for complex electronic systems. The company has formed strategic partnerships with organizations like KRONOS Mechatronics and Neotech AMT to enhance its offerings in 3D-printed electronics.
About KRONOS Mechatronics
KRONOS Mechatronics, established in 2024, specializes in advanced 3D printed electronics and additive manufacturing solutions. The company offers 5-axis printing systems, including the Helios and Hyperion platforms, designed for producing complex mechatronic components. Serving industries such as aerospace, automotive, and consumer electronics, KRONOS Mechatronics focuses on enhancing manufacturing efficiency, precision, and sustainability.