Access

What Access does

Access (legal entity ACCESS e.V.) is a German non-profit, independent research institute headquartered in Aachen, founded in 1986 as a spin-off of RWTH Aachen University. It operates six integrated business fields spanning the full metallic-materials process chain: basic solidification research, microstructure simulation, alloy development, process simulation, prototype and small-series manufacturing, and material characterization. The institute serves primarily aerospace and industrial manufacturing customers and runs a 3,800 m² TechCenter certified to EN 9100, equipped with complete investment, gravity, centrifugal, and low-pressure casting lines alongside advanced microscopy (Zeiss FE-SEM suite), industrial CT (Nikon), and 3D scanning (ATOS) capabilities.

The technology stack combines proprietary software with third-party CAE platforms. MICRESS, licensed since 2004, is the institute's phase-field-based code for time- and spatially-resolved microstructure evolution in multi-component alloys, coupling at runtime to thermodynamic databases via Thermo-Calc's TQ interface. HOMAT (licensed since 2015) calculates effective material properties via asymptotic homogenization. Process simulation services use commercial codes STAR-CCM+ (Siemens PLM, following CD-adapco acquisition in 2016), Magmasoft, and Abaqus. The open AIXVIPMAP platform links these tools into ICME-style virtual process chains. AI/ML capabilities are emerging across image-based microstructure detection, physics-informed surrogate modeling (shape2prop), and AI-driven inline defect detection in shell production (Shellinspect).

The business model is a hybrid of (i) industrial contract research and process development, (ii) publicly funded research from DFG, federal (LuFo/BMWi/BMBF), state, and EU sources, (iii) global licensing of MICRESS and HOMAT to academic and industrial users, and (iv) production and sale of crucibles and investment casting shells. Customer mix is anchored by large European aerospace and manufacturing enterprises (Airbus, MTU Aero Engines, Rolls-Royce Deutschland, Doncasters, Leistritz, TITAL, Zollern, AMG) alongside a membership organization (Access e.V.) that formalizes industry relationships. Industry partners include Siemens PLM, Magma, Thermo-Calc, and ESA for space-based solidification experiments on the ISS and sounding rockets. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; engagement is direct and project-based.

Name

Access

Legal name

ACCESS e.V.

Website

https://access-technology.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ACCESS e.V. is a non-profit German research institute in Aachen, founded 1986 from RWTH Aachen University, applying proprietary microstructure simulation software (MICRESS, HOMAT) and an EN 9100-certified TechCenter to serve aerospace and industrial manufacturing customers with casting process development, prototyping, and materials characterization.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Materials Research and Casting Process Development

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Test, Measurement & Calibration Equipment Manufacturing Services (ATE, DAQ, metrology electronics) (IMAGAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conferences, Workshops & Industry Events (AM Knowledge Sharing) (IMAAAJAL)

Keywords

• Materials research services
• Casting simulation software
• Microstructure evolution modeling
• Investment casting prototyping
• Process simulation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Aachen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Industrial Contract Research: Direct industrial contract research is one of Access' main fields of activity. They offer services including alloy development, material characterization, process simulation, and prototype manufacturing for industrial customers.
2. Publicly Funded Research: Access participates in publicly funded research projects funded by DFG, federal government (LuFo program), European Union, and state-level funding bodies. These projects support fundamental and industry-oriented research activities.
3. Software Licensing (MICRESS/HOMAT): Access develops and distributes proprietary software packages including MICRESS and HOMAT under license to academic and industrial users worldwide since 2004.
4. Molds and Crucibles Production: Production and sale of high-quality crucibles and molded shells for investment casting processes for standard dimensions and special customer requirements.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ACCESS e.V. is a non-profit independent research institute that performs industrial contract research and publicly funded research in metallic materials, casting processes, and microstructure simulation. It develops and licenses proprietary software (MICRESS, HOMAT) for phase-field microstructure simulation and homogenization, provides process simulation services using commercial codes, and operates a 3,800 m² TechCenter for prototype and small-series investment casting manufacturing to EN 9100 aviation quality standards.

Product overview

Access is a non-profit independent research institute (Access e.V.) founded in 1986 as a spin-off of RWTH Aachen University. Its core product and technology portfolio centers on computer-aided microstructure simulation (MICRESS® and HOMAT), industrial process simulation services using commercial codes (STAR-CCM+, Magmasoft, Abaqus), and a comprehensive suite of materials research and manufacturing services. The MICRESS® software (phase-field microstructure simulation) and HOMAT (homogenization-based effective property calculation) are Access's proprietary software products, distributed under license. Services include process development and prototype manufacturing of investment castings in the Access TechCenter (3,800 m², EN 9100 compliant), full material characterization across three dedicated laboratories, basic solidification research with in-situ and zero-gravity diagnostics, and production of crucibles and moulds for investment casting. Access also operates the AMat.Pro web-based material database for casting simulation and provides funding advisory services for public R&D projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MICRESS MICRostructure Evolution Simulation Software — a phase-field-based software for spatially and time-resolved simulation of microstructure evolution in metallic materials during solidification, solid-state phase transformations, and heat treatment. Developed by Access and licensed to academic and industrial users worldwide since 2004.
• HOMAT HOmogenization of MATerials — a software package for calculating effective material properties of heterogeneous multiphase microstructures and composite materials based on the asymptotic homogenization method. Developed by Access and distributed under license since 2015.
• Process Simulation Services Industrial process simulation services using commercial codes STAR-CCM+, Magmasoft, and Abaqus, supplemented by proprietary extensions. Covers casting processes (investment, pressure, low-pressure, sand), flow processes, thermal processes, and additive manufacturing with coupled calculation of flow, temperature, stress, and distortion across multiple alloy systems.
• AMat.Pro Material Database Service Access Material Database for Processes (AMat.Pro) — a web-based database service providing validated material properties for casting simulations, accessible via web browser for engineers to integrate high-quality material data into simulation projects.
• Process Development and Prototype Manufacturing Industry-oriented development of casting processes and manufacturing of prototypes and small series using lost wax and gravity die casting processes on an industrial scale in the 3,800 m² TechCenter, specializing in high-temperature nickel, titanium, and iron-based alloys, compliant with aviation quality standard EN 9100.
• Material Characterization Services Comprehensive analytical services across three labs covering microscopy (Zeiss FE-SEM with EDX/EBSD), computed tomography (Nikon industrial CT), digital light microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and mechanical property testing (tribometry, fatigue, tensile, creep tests) for microstructure, phase, texture, and grain analysis.
• Crucibles and Moulds Production Production of high-quality crucibles and investment casting mould shells for standard and custom requirements, with maximum dimensions of 550 mm diameter and 500 mm height, using manual or automated ceramic line processes with Al₂O₃ or Y₂O₃-based shell systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• Development of processes up to TRL 6 (Technology Readiness Level 6) for series maturity
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability7 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Siemens PLMcoreTechnology or IntegrationClose partnership for STAR-CCM+ simulation software. Access participated in development of STAR-Cast with CD-adapco, which was acquired by Siemens in 2016. STAR-Cast became part of STAR-CCM+ flow solver from Siemens PLM.
• MagmacoreTechnology or IntegrationClose partnership for Magmasoft simulation software. Access uses Magmasoft alongside STAR-CCM+ for casting process simulation and maintains ongoing technical collaboration.
• Thermo-Calc SoftwarecoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for thermodynamic databases. MICRESS software features runtime coupling to thermodynamic databases via the TQ interface of Thermo-Calc for thermodynamic material description of multi-component alloys.
• RWTH Aachen UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrigin of Access as spin-off from RWTH Aachen University in 1986. Ongoing research collaboration with university institutes including IME, IOB, and others.
• German Research Foundation (DFG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor funding body for fundamental research projects. DFG funds investigation of basic research questions as part of Access' publicly funded research activities.
• Rolls-Royce DeutschlandflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGATE project partner for cost-efficient, scalable casting concepts for Al and Ti housing components for electric high-performance drives. Project aims to develop manufacturing strategies for electric propulsion components.
• European Space Agency (ESA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for space experiments on ISS and sounding rockets investigating solidification processes under microgravity conditions. Projects include MICAST, SPHINX-ISS, SIMONA.
• VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject sponsor for various publicly funded research projects. Part of the project funding ecosystem including DLR, PT Jülich, ILB.
• CoBRAIN ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Union funded project on Integrated Computational-Experimental Material Engineering of Thermal Spray coatings. Collaborative academic and industrial consortium.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ESI Group (Procast): Provider of Procast, a leading commercial casting simulation platform. Directly comparable to the process simulation services Access delivers using STAR-CCM+ and Magmasoft for industrial customers in aerospace and automotive.
• Thermo-Calc Software AB: Swedish provider of thermodynamic calculation software used in materials R&D and coupled directly into MICRESS via the TQ interface. Strategic partner of Access, but a peer in CALPHAD-driven materials simulation.
• NIST Materials Measurement Laboratory: U.S. national laboratory focused on materials measurement science, standards, and reference data. Comparable to Access' material characterization, microstructure standards work, and AMat.Pro-style reference data services.
• MAGMA Giessereitechnologie GmbH: German vendor of Magmasoft casting simulation software — Access is a close technology partner and user, but Magma is the closest commercial peer for casting process simulation that Access either uses or substitutes for with MICRESS-coupled STAR-CCM+.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (IFAM): German non-profit applied research institute specializing in materials, casting, and manufacturing process development with similar industry-funded contract research model. Directly comparable to Access in mission, funding mix, and customer profile (aerospace, automotive).
• Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials (IWM): Fraunhofer institute focused on materials mechanics, characterization, and component reliability. Comparable to Access' material characterization labs and EN 9100-adjacent testing services for industrial partners.
• Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM): German federal institute for materials research and testing. Comparable to Access in materials characterization, safety testing, and standards work for industrial and government clients.
• Transvalor SA: France-based vendor of casting and metallurgy simulation software (THERCAST, SIMULCAST). Comparable to the process and microstructure simulation services Access provides to investment casting foundries.

Broad incumbents

• ANSYS Inc. Broad-portfolio industrial simulation vendor (Fluent, Mechanical, etc.) serving aerospace and manufacturing customers. A larger incumbent in the same enterprise simulation space where Access provides services and integrates third-party solvers.
• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology — Institute of Applied Materials (KIT-IAM): Large German academic materials research institute covering materials science, processing, and mechanical behavior. Broader in scope than Access but directly comparable in metallurgy, casting, and additive manufacturing R&D.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Access