i3D Manufacturing buys Burloak and makes its first leap outside the US

i3D Manufacturing has acquired Burloak Technologies, a Canadian firm specialized in manufacturing metal parts through 3D printing. Burloak will retain its name, management team, and operations, but will now have more resources to scale its production. This operation marks i3D's first international expansion, adding Burloak's expertise in machining and metal heat treatments.

A large industrial 3D metal printer actively depositing a glowing orange titanium layer onto a complex aerospace bracket, while a robotic arm simultaneously removes a finished part from a second printer behind it. A CNC milling machine in the background shows a metal component being machined, with coolant splashing. The scene depicts seamless additive and subtractive manufacturing flow, with digital blue holographic schematics of the bracket floating above the machines. Cinematic engineering visualization, photorealistic technical illustration, dramatic low-angle industrial lighting, metallic surfaces reflecting heat glow, sharp focus on layer-by-layer printing action and robotic transfer motion, dark workshop atmosphere with sparks and laser beams.

Technical synergy: metal powder fusion and traditional processes 🔧

The acquisition combines i3D's expertise in additive manufacturing with Burloak's mastery of subtractive processes such as CNC machining and surface treatments. Burloak has the capacity to produce aerospace and medical components in titanium and aluminum, integrating post-processing to meet demanding tolerances. The union allows offering a complete flow: design, printing, and final finishing under one roof. i3D aims to replicate this model in its US plants.

The forced marriage between 3D printing and machining 🤖

In the end, 3D printing cannot live alone: it needs machining so those parts don't look like they were made by a child with playdough. Burloak, which knows how to smooth rough edges, gives i3D the perfect excuse to cross the border without having to learn to say sorry in Canadian. The good thing is that now they will have more resources to argue whether it is better to sinter or mill. The bad thing: meetings will get longer.