Japan's HORKOS and Spain's Meltio have introduced the NX70 DUO version AM hybrid machining centre. Based on the HORKOS NX70 1510B, its twin-head, non-bed architecture combines Meltio wire-laser metal deposition with precision cutting. The companies say the first unit has been sold, although the customer, price and acceptance results are not public.

One setup, two different processes

Wire directed-energy deposition uses laser energy to melt welding wire and place material layer by layer. The CNC head can then machine a precise surface, fit or internal feature. The operations may alternate, which is useful for closed impellers or repairs where a surface becomes inaccessible later.

One setup can reduce handling and coordinate reset error. It does not erase process differences: deposition adds heat and irregular stock, while cutting brings force, coolant and chips into the cell. Control must jointly manage coordinates, tools, thermal state and collision space.

What HORKOS adds

HORKOS describes its Non Bed Structure as compact and positions its water-soluble iMQL system as a cleaner, more efficient machining environment. These are vendor claims; no public comparison of energy, emissions, cycle time or accuracy is available.

MadeHere and Techtrage support the Japanese integration. The machine will appear at JIMTOF in Tokyo from 26 to 31 October 2026 with dry-run operation and videos of printing. A dry run is not a complete material acceptance test.

Verified and open claims

The joint announcement, base machine, process integration, first sale and JIMTOF plan are verified. Work envelope, full wire list, deposition rate, machining accuracy after a hybrid cycle, in-process metrology, software chain and qualified material properties remain unpublished.

Aerospace, energy and defence are target markets, not certifications. Critical parts need combined evidence for deposited material, dilution, porosity, residual stress, heat treatment, machined surface and non-destructive inspection.

Acceptance testing

FAT and SAT should not consist of separate DED and CNC demonstrations. One representative part should cover datum capture, deposition, intermediate machining, further deposition and final measurement. Record cycle time, wire use, removed chips, coordinate drift, temperature, stops and operator intervention.

Editorial conclusion

NX70 DUO version AM is a meaningful integration because hybrid manufacturing depends on switching within one coordinate system, not merely placing two machines nearby. A first sale signals market interest, not performance. The next valuable evidence will be a public end-to-end part with material, geometry and cycle-time results.

Sources and transparency

Architecture, first sale and exhibition plan come from Meltio and HORKOS's joint 21 October 2026 release. No independent machine test or detailed data sheet was available at publication.