3D printing is still often seen as a specialist technology: useful and full of potential, but not yet a natural part of everyday industrial work. For Vesa Kananen, Chief Technical Officer and co-founder of 3DStep, the goal is to make 3D printing a practical manufacturing method that companies can use with confidence.
Vesa wants to make 3D printing mundane in the best sense of the word. The technology should be familiar, understandable and easy to consider whenever it can create business value.
A production engineer’s route from compressors to chocolate printing
Vesa has been with 3DStep since the company was founded in 2016. During that time, he has seen additive manufacturing develop quickly in Finland and internationally.
His background is in production engineering, production development and hands-on manufacturing. Before moving into 3D printing, he worked in traditional industries such as power transmission and compressors. He also developed a lean-based training concept and sold it to companies through his own business.
His first steps into 3D printing were unusually tangible. Together with Pekka Ketola, now CIO of 3DStep, Vesa began by printing chocolate treats for a local cooperative chain. The work soon expanded to other materials, industrial applications, new partners and full-time additive manufacturing.
Helping customers find where 3D manufacturing creates business value
Today, Vesa is responsible for 3DStep’s production, technologies and their development. His work brings together customer collaboration, technical understanding and practical problem-solving.
A major part of his role is helping companies understand where 3D manufacturing can create value in their own operations. Through workshops, 3D LOIKKA sessions and customer discussions, he supports companies in building their capability in 3D manufacturing and identifying concrete business potential.
For Vesa, the most rewarding part of the work is finding solutions to customer challenges and helping them see new opportunities through 3D technologies.
Building 3DStep’s technology offering through team expertise
As awareness of 3D printing grows, customers will expect stronger expertise, broader technology options and practical guidance from their partners. 3DStep’s role is to provide that support through several technologies, an experienced team and a hands-on approach.
Vesa sees the future of 3D printing as positive and steadily developing. Over time, he expects it to find its natural place among other manufacturing methods.
For him, the work is closely tied to physical manufacturing and collaboration with people. Making 3D printing mundane means helping companies use it as a normal, reliable and useful part of how they design, develop and produce.
