Nicolae Bâlc – Metal 3D Printing and the Future of Advanced Manufacturing

Introduction
Prof. Nicolae Balc, a leading figure in manufacturing engineering, brings decades of expertise in additive manufacturing and rapid product development. His work bridges academic research with real-world industrial applications.

Key Contributions

• Professor at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, specializing in Additive Manufacturing and Non-Traditional Technologies.
• Coordinator of over 36 PhD theses and author of 183 scientific papers, including 82 ISI-indexed publications.
• Developed Romania’s first Rapid Prototyping research center and currently leads the AMaRaP Center.
• Led major EU and ESA-funded projects, including those for aerospace, composite printing, and medical applications.
• Recipient of the Henri Coandă Prize from the Romanian Academy for his work on medical applications of AM.

Ongoing Impact
Prof. Balc continues to lead innovation in 3D printing for aerospace and healthcare while shaping education in digital manufacturing through internationally accredited programs.