Manish Sharma Lasers · Photonics · Industrial systems
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Manish Sharma · Lasers, photonics and industrial systems

From process development
to manufacturing delivery.

Head of AI & R&D at Exafuse / ThinkIng – Additive Technology GmbH

I work across laser-based manufacturing and industrial systems, combining hands-on process development with sensing, automation, control and R&D leadership. More than six years in DED/LMD and a background in lasers and photonics ground that work in physical processes.

I build systems end-to-end: turning shop-floor constraints into robust workflows, clean data and practical tools. That means connecting deposition strategy and robotics with optical monitoring, machine integration, documentation and quality. Applied AI, machine learning and numerical modelling are engineering tools within that work.

My M.Sc. in Lasers and Photonics at Ruhr University Bochum, recognised with the Faculty Prize for best student, builds on a B.Tech. in Electrical Engineering. I am also an external PhD researcher in Applied Laser Technology at Ruhr University Bochum; the PhD is in progress, expected 2027.

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Manish Sharma

Manish Sharma

Lasers, photonics & industrial systems

Hands-on DED/LMD engineering · R&D leadership

Engineering, research and delivery
Exafuse · Ruhr University Bochum

Engineering responsibility

From measurement to manufacturing use.

Team and R&D leadership

Managed five employees with hiring responsibility; led Exafuse's contribution to BreitbahnDED, including technical coordination, milestones, costs and reporting.

Monitoring and control

Monitoring and control deployed across three machines at two sites.

Read the system case

Optical measurement

Camera-based height sensing developed from concept to tested prototype, with practical optics, illumination and calibration.

Explore height sensing

Manufacturing workflows

Built in-house MES/ERP with Print-ID traceability and operator procedures, used by every operator.

Read about traceability

Project responsibility

The complete manufacturing chain

In a small manufacturing team, I work across the interfaces between engineering, operations and commercial delivery.

  1. Define the work

    Part requirements, CAD, sourcing, quotations, and cost and price considerations.

  2. Develop the process

    LMD/DED process development, control-system work, sensing and robotic workflows.

  3. Measure and review

    Camera and sensor integration, process analytics, calibration and quality checks.

  4. Deliver the part

    Build documentation, team coordination and delivery through to shipment.

Selected delivery · Duisburg · 2024

Process control for a real infrastructure project.

In 2024, I led process monitoring and control work that enabled unattended builds for Exafuse's Duisburg bridge-component project, and coordinated delivery scheduling within my scope. Testing was outside my role.

Total LMD component mass
750 kg+
Structural nodes
6 nodes

Exafuse's published project includes structural nodes and handrail elements. It connects CAD adaptation, deposition planning, long-duration production, monitoring and independent project-specific validation support.

Project scale: Exafuse's published record. Personal role and unattended-build outcome: my professional account.

Read the project and my roleExafuse project source
Large LMD-manufactured bridge node component from the Duisburg project
Exafuse — Duisburg bridge components Large structural LMD proof component from the Duisburg bridge story. View the Exafuse source

Selected work

Manufacturing experience with technical depth

Integrated manufacturing systems

From models and toolpaths to live control

System development and doctoral research

I built an integrated LMD control system covering modelling, simulation, path planning, camera and sensor monitoring, software, data processing and live control. Monitoring and control have been deployed across three machines at two sites. This work forms part of my doctoral thesis; each machine requires its own integration and commissioning.

Explore the LMD control system

Collaborative research

BreitbahnDED

Lead for Exafuse's contribution

I led Exafuse's contribution to BreitbahnDED, including technical coordination, milestones, costs and reporting, and helped develop and write the project proposal. This connects manufacturing requirements, monitoring and software with university research. I also work with Ruhr University Bochum on new research proposals.

Read the Exafuse project article

Public technical work

LMD Decision Brief and research

Engineering knowledge made inspectable

My public work includes a portable brief for LMD/DED engineering questions, technical notes and a research publication on lattice-structure deposition. The tools make assumptions and evidence needs explicit; physical inspection remains essential.

Read the LMD Decision Brief

Delivered software

Exafuse's website

Website development

I built Exafuse's website. It brings industrial services, technical case studies and enquiry-preparation tools into a public interface for engineering customers.

View the delivered website

Knowledge exchange

Invited teaching and technical advice

Invited teaching and engineering contributions

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), India

I give recurring invited guest lectures at ISRO in a personal capacity. I also advise ISRO teams on additive manufacturing and contribute to WAAM machine development for rocket-nozzle manufacturing.

Technical advisory work

Tata Steel and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Haridwar

I advise teams at Tata Steel and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Haridwar on additive manufacturing, drawing on my experience in process development, monitoring and manufacturing workflows.

Professional background

Experience

Jan 2024 – Present

Exafuse / ThinkIng – Additive Technology GmbH, Bochum

Head of AI & R&D

I lead R&D and manufacturing projects from sourcing and CAD through processing, monitoring, quality checks and shipment. I have managed five employees with hiring responsibility. My work includes technical coordination, milestones, costs and reporting for Exafuse's BreitbahnDED contribution, alongside quotations, cost comparisons and operational responsibility in a small team.

Jan 2020 – Dec 2023

Exafuse / ThinkIng – Additive Technology GmbH, Bochum

Machine Learning and Systems Engineer

Developed machine-vision monitoring systems, neural-network feature extraction and automation interfaces for LMD, including vision-based height sensing and robotic toolpath work.

Dec 2017 – Jun 2021

Ruhr University Bochum

University research roles

Research Assistant from December 2017 to December 2019, followed by Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter from January 2020 to June 2021. Research covered LMD vision systems, machine learning and lattice-structure deposition.

Research and education

Lasers, photonics and electrical engineering

External PhD — in progress, expected 2027

Ruhr University Bochum · Applied Laser Technology

Research in vision-based LMD process control with artificial intelligence. External doctoral research since March 2020; the PhD has not yet been awarded.

M.Sc. Lasers and Photonics

Ruhr University Bochum

Faculty Prize for best student. Thesis on machine-learning approaches in LMD lattice structures.

B.Tech. Electrical Engineering

Rajasthan Technical University, India

May 2012 – June 2016. Gold Medal / first-rank academic recognition.

LanguagesEnglish C1; German B1, progressing toward B2; Hindi native.

Publication and speaking

Sharing practical engineering knowledge

Discuss an engineering challenge

Technical projects, R&D, laser-based manufacturing, photonics, sensing or industrial systems.

Start a conversation

Profile updated October 2026

Identity path

Continue through the public profile and work