- NEXOS.Group and CR-3D partnered to integrate industrial 3D printing into modular and mobile production platforms.
- The FieldRack system, mounted on a ROVO electric chassis, enables on-site manufacturing in field or remote environments.
German technology companies NEXOS.Group and CR-3D have announced a strategic partnership to integrate industrial-grade additive manufacturing systems into modular automation and mobile production platforms.
The collaboration, unveiled at the Formnext 2025 trade show in Frankfurt, is aimed at bridging 3D printing, robotics, and system integration from research to serial production — with applications ranging from disaster response to tactical military deployments.
As part of the agreement, NEXOS.Group will incorporate CR-3D’s extrusion-based 3D printing systems into its product portfolio. According to the companies, the goal is to enable flexible, on-site manufacturing in field environments, where centralized production facilities may not be available.
The centerpiece of the joint effort is the FieldRack, an industrial 3D printing unit developed by CR-3D for mobile use. It is designed to produce spare parts, tools, and functional components directly at the point of need — including disaster zones, remote workshops, or military operations.
In a statement, the companies said, “The FieldRack enables the production of spare parts, tools, and components directly at the deployment site, without relying on centralized manufacturing structures.”
To demonstrate this capability, CR-3D and NEXOS have equipped the FieldRack with the ROVO electric all-terrain chassis from HAWE Mattro GmbH, creating a mobile unit capable of transporting and operating 3D printing hardware in rugged environments. Together, the ROVO and FieldRack form a fully autonomous, field-ready production system.
The partnership spans three business domains within NEXOS.Group:
- NEXOS.Robotics showcases the mobile FieldRack at Formnext, highlighting how mobility and additive manufacturing can be combined into field-capable production platforms.
- NEXOS.Defence introduces the FieldRack as a ruggedized 3D printing solution for military use, supporting part fabrication in forward locations and mobile workshops.
- NEXOS.Works, the company’s core automation unit, will integrate CR-3D’s printers into its existing modular systems (NEXOS.Cube, NEXOS.LinDrive, NEXOS.Motion) to support automated production, part handling, and digital workflows.
In the defense domain, the system will become part of NEXOS.Defence’s Defence Exchange Manufacturing (DMX) initiative, a modular production network concept focused on distributed and autonomous manufacturing for deployed forces.
The companies emphasized their complementary roles in the partnership: CR-3D will continue to focus on robust, extrusion-based additive manufacturing technology, while NEXOS will lead system integration into modular and mobile platforms.
A spokesperson for NEXOS.Group stated, “We see this cooperation as a step toward new deployment scenarios — not as competition to existing automation partners, but as an extension of a broader ecosystem.”