Vesa Kananen is in charge of 3DStep’s technologies and aims to make 3D printing mundane
CTO Vesa Kananen, 3DStep Oy
3DStep’s Chief Technical Officer and co-founder Vesa Kananen has worked for the company ever since its founding in 2016 and seen the industry undergo quick development both in Finland and globally. Going forward, he expects 3D printing to grow organically and over time find its ideal position among other manufacturing methods – while becoming increasingly mundane.
Vesa Kananen is a 3D printing professional with a versatile background in production engineering and production development. Today, he is in charge of 3DStep’s production and technological solutions and their development. He works in close cooperation with both customers and 3DStep’s printing team, such as the company’s two team leaders: polymer printing expert and AM Specialist Amina, and metal printing expert and AM Specialist Petri.
What Vesa finds best about his work is providing solutions to customers’ challenges and finding new business potential for them by putting 3D technologies in full and heavy use.
From chocolate to metals and beyond
Vesa Kananen’s career path has been an interesting and yet quite determined one. His focus has always been on production development and hands-on work. After completing his master’s in production engineering and before embarking on additive manufacturing, he spent almost a decade working in companies engaged in the traditional manufacturing industry, first in power transmission and then the compressor business.
Between his positions in traditional manufacturing and 3D printing, he also developed an all-new lean-based training concept and sold it to companies through his own one-man business.
“I guess there’s no hiding from entrepreneurship, it runs in the family. All my grandparents were entrepreneurs, and so is my father. I felt I had a lot to offer with the lean concept I designed, so I started selling it to businesses,” Vesa recounts.
While doing so, Vesa crossed paths with 3D printing and quickly developed an interest in its future potential. After meeting with Pekka Ketola, today 3DStep’s CEO, they decided to join forces and entered the 3D printing business in 2016. Their first 3D-printed products were chocolate.
“Our local cooperative chain took an interest in food printing, so our first acquisition was a chocolate printer. We started printing chocolate treats in their upstairs facilities,” Vesa says with a grin.
Soon Vesa and Pekka also started printing other materials, found new business partners and well-suited facilities in a growing technology hub in Ylöjärvi, and industrial 3D printing became Vesa’s full-time job.
Interaction, inspiration and training
Today, Vesa’s working days are highly varied. In addition to overseeing the operations on the whole, he works together with customers, prepares quotes, and also seeks and provides inspiration by hosting free-of-charge workshops, 3D LOIKKA sessions and other brainstorming and networking events.
“Our discussions with customers often revolve around the question of where each company’s best business potential lies as regards 3D printing. We have achieved great results, with participants at many of our events finding new business potential in just a few hours” Vesa says.
Although 3D printing as a technique has a long history, much of Vesa’s work still involves raising awareness – which he gladly does. He expects 3D printing to grow organically over time and find its ideal, natural position among other manufacturing methods.
As for the future status of 3DStep and 3D printing overall, Vesa feels confident. He expects the method to become increasingly mundane and awareness to accumulate across the market. This will also raise customers’ expectations for competent and visionary service providers.
“I find the outlook to be positive. We have several technologies in place, and we are able to provide a wide range of services. We have worked hard for six years for this, and we’re glad to have reached our current standing. We’ve been able to develop and also make new investments along the way.“
In Vesa’s view, the positive development has been based on good team play and multidisciplinary expertise among 3DStep’s founders.
“A lot of credit also goes to our team leaders Amina and Petri and the rest of our staff. All our employees are highly committed to their work and have a really good attitude,” Vesa says.
As for his own position, Vesa is glad to be working just where he is. This allows him to combine the very aspects of work he enjoys.
“I am no theoretical scientist at heart, I gladly leave in-depth calculatory engineering sciences to others. My heart is in hands-on work. I want to be involved in physical manufacture and work together with other people,” he concludes.