Team Updates What we do Technology Work Process Contact
Laser directed energy deposition in progress, molten metal bead being built layer by layer
AZETRA GmbH — Wohlen, Switzerland

Engineering
high-complexity
manufacturing.

An independent engineering boutique for high-complexity Directed Energy Deposition — from first idea and feasibility to qualified, industrial-ready parts for Space, Aerospace and Defense.

17+ yrs
DED & laser-cladding expertise
Concept → Flight
Feasibility to qualified parts
CH‑engineered
Swiss precision, built in Wohlen
Team

Laser cladding & DED pioneers.

Decades of practical knowledge. Swiss precision and passion in every step — from concept to production, your partner all around Laser Cladding & DED.

Dr. Arkadi Zikin and Tobias Eisele, founders of AZETRA, standing beside a large industrial robotic deposition cell
Dr. Arkadi Zikin & Tobias Eisele
CEO + CTO · Co-owners
CEO & Co-owner

Dr. Arkadi Zikin

View LinkedIn profile →
  • 17+ years in DED / laser cladding
  • PhD, Materials Engineering
  • Founding Director, Europe's leading DED technology center

17+ years turning early-stage manufacturing ideas into industrial-scale reality — twice building a technology function from a handful of people and one machine into a multi-site operation with an eight-figure project pipeline. A materials engineer by training, Arkadi leads AZETRA's technology direction across laser cladding, DED and advanced materials, connecting engineering innovation with industrial reality for aerospace and energy. Before AZETRA, he founded and served as Director of one of Europe's leading DED technology centers — built from the ground up into a multi-site center of excellence.

Fun factHosts the YouTube channel "Technologies with Arkadi" and completed the MIT CTO program — a path that once felt like a distant dream growing up in Estonia. Off the shop floor, he's into endurance sports.
CTO & Co-owner

Tobias Eisele

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  • 10+ years in precision manufacturing
  • MSc, Mechanical Engineering
  • Senior Engineer in WAAM, DED & laser cladding process simulation

Process engineer specializing in DED-based additive manufacturing, leading the development of highly complex, topology-optimized lightweight structures for space applications. A mechanical engineer by training, Tobias is AZETRA's go-to expert for offline programming and process simulation across WAAM, DED and laser cladding, turning the most complex part geometries into robust, production-ready programs. He also programs and calibrates robotic and CNC controllers and leads system integration — building the software backbone that keeps every cell running precisely where conventional manufacturing reaches its limits.

Fun factThe offline-programming and simulation tools he's built now run on manufacturing systems worldwide, not just at AZETRA — code and metal, planned in the same afternoon.

DED Engineering Boutique

Deep, independent process & software expertise.

Swiss Quality

Precision engineering, built and proven in Switzerland.

One Partner

From engineering to industrial production — a single point of contact.

Latest updates

Company milestones.

What we do

An engineering boutique for demanding, high-value parts.

AZETRA is an independent engineering boutique specializing in high-complexity Directed Energy Deposition (DED) applications. Our core expertise comes from developing and industrializing demanding components for Space, Aerospace and Defense — including propulsion components, nozzles, nozzle extensions and other large-scale, high-value applications.

We combine our own engineering expertise with a strong network of technology, manufacturing and research partners to provide the right solution for every application.

01

Application Development

From the first idea and feasibility assessment to process development and demonstrator manufacturing.

02

Process & Part Qualification

Development, validation and qualification of processes, materials and manufactured components.

03

System & Technology Recommendations

Independent selection and definition of processes, machines, equipment and complete manufacturing concepts.

04

Parts Manufacturing & Sub‑Zero Production

Prototype, demonstrator and low-volume production through AZETRA and our manufacturing partner network.

05

Industrialization & Integration

From a proven application to an industrial manufacturing solution — including automation, robotics, system integration and production concepts.

From process expertise to industrial implementation.

Our core competence is Directed Energy Deposition, supported by extensive industrial experience across laser-based manufacturing, robotics, materials and industrialisation.

Blown-powder DED laser deposition building a large conical structure

Powder DED

Powder DED

Large-scale additive manufacturing, repair and feature addition using blown-powder laser deposition.

Process dev.Multi-axisLarge partsMulti-material
Wire-DED deposition head building a square metallic structure with a bright glowing bead

Wire DED

Wire DED

High-deposition-rate additive manufacturing for large metallic structures and near-net-shape components.

Large structuresHigh build rateNear-net-shapeAerospace
Laser cladding deposition head building a hexagonal metal structure

Laser Cladding

Laser Cladding

Precision deposition for functional surfaces, repair, wear protection and component enhancement.

RepairCoatingsWear protectionFunctionalisation
EHLA process depositing a bright molten bead onto a rotating cylindrical shaft, with sparks flying

High-Speed Laser Cladding

High-Speed Laser Cladding

Extreme High-speed Laser Application — thin, dense coatings deposited at up to 200x the rate of conventional cladding, with minimal dilution and heat input.

EHLAThin coatingsHigh deposition rateSeries production
Split view: DED laser deposition building a pipe elbow, then CNC machining finishing the same part

Hybrid Manufacturing

Hybrid Manufacturing

Integration of additive and subtractive processes to manufacture complex components in a single production chain.

DED + machiningIn-process finishingComplex geometryReduced setup
Engineer holding a DED-printed elbow component beside the finished part on the build plate

Robotics & Automation

Robotics & Automation

Robot-based manufacturing systems engineered around the process rather than around the machine.

Multi-axisRobot programmingOffline simulationCell integration
AI process monitoring dashboard showing live build camera feed, quality score, anomaly detection and temperature trends

Process Monitoring & Control

Process Monitoring & Control

Data-driven process understanding for higher robustness, traceability and repeatability.

SensorsMelt-pool monitoringProcess dataClosed-loop
Lattice-structured multi-material DED component displayed with Ti, Nb and WC/W2C powder samples

Advanced Materials

Advanced Materials

Development and qualification of material systems for demanding thermal, mechanical and corrosive environments.

Ni-superalloysCo-alloysTitaniumCu-alloys
Selected work

From complex applications to industrial reality.

One engineering partner. The right technology. The right network. A few recent posts, straight from the shop floor.

DED Technology Advances with Expertise and Software

DED technology never stops fascinating me. Just look at these thin-wall freeform structures. This is what happens when experienced people, the right machine like from Karl H. Arnold Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co.KG, good software and stable…

Experts Combine Equipment Manufacturing and Application Development in DED

I believe real success happens when diverse experts work hand in hand on the same challenge — and advanced manufacturing is no exception. By combining strong equipment manufacturing expertise Karl H. Arnold Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co.KG…

Additive manufacturing is not just engineering — it’s close to an art form. Here is the final version of one of our latest R&D projects: → LPBF enabled us to build the fine-walled, complex geometry in copper, a sensitive but highly…

I’m honored and proud to be one of the core contributors to Everyday Metallurgy and to collaborate with Peter Kjeldsteen. I especially enjoy our technology quizzes and challenges, and I’m looking forward to being back online with a new…

One of the greatest advantages of Directed Energy Deposition (DED) is the ability to work locally on existing geometries — whether to enhance properties with additional layers, add new features to a housing structure, or repair high-value…

Laser-based DED technologies: freedom of form and functional complexity.

The multifaceted world of laser-based DED technologies – where freedom of form meets functional complexity. One of our latest creations showcases the beauty of design and the true potential of additive manufacturing. Can you guess — was this part built using powder or wire?…

AZETRA Space Experience Overview: DED and laser cladding solutions for extenders, combustion components, multi-material structures and satellite structures
AZETRA Space Experience Overview — extenders, combustion components, multi-material structures, satellite structures.
AZETRA Materials Experience Overview: Fe-based, Ni-based, Co-based, Cu and special alloys, Ti and Al alloys, and MMC/WC-based alloys with microstructure images and typical applications
AZETRA Materials Experience Overview — six alloy families, from Fe-based steels to MMC/WC-based systems.
How we work

From concept to qualified parts.

Our six-stage engineering process — from first idea to industrially qualified parts.

1
Concept-stage render of a nozzle-extension component
  • Feasibility
  • DfAM design
  • Proof of concept

Concept

2
Process development: build-strategy simulation render
  • Build strategy
  • Process parameters
  • Trial builds

Process Development

3
Simulation and validation: toolpath simulation over a part
  • Process simulation
  • Optimization
  • Validation

Simulation & Validation

4
Digital manufacturing: robot arm with laser deposition and process data
  • CAM programming
  • Machine integration
  • Process monitoring

Digital Manufacturing

5
Production-stage finished rotating component
  • DED manufacturing
  • Process control
  • Scalable deployment

Production

6
Finished multi-material copper and nickel-alloy component — a qualified, ready part
  • Inspection
  • Documentation
  • Industrial readiness

Qualified Parts

Contact

Let's engineer your next part.

Talk to our team about your application — from a first feasibility check to qualified, industrial-ready production.

Company
AZETRA GmbH
Location
Wohlen, Switzerland
Leadership
Dr. Arkadi Zikin, CEO · Tobias Eisele, CTO

Opens your email client, addressed to info@azetra-engineering.com.