desktop metal's 3D printer creates objects from steel, titanium + copper

desktop metal is set to change how metal is manufactured with the fastest metal 3D printing system in the world. for the first time, affordable, safe and precise metal 3D printing for both prototyping and mass production will be available across industries — at speeds 100 times faster.

all images © desktop metal

desktop metal reveals its 3D printers that can form objects from hundreds of different alloys including steel, titanium, aluminum, and copper. according to the company’s CEO ric fulop, components manufactured by desktop metal systems compare to injection-molded items, in terms of production quality and finish. the manufacturing technique’s arrival marks a fundamental shift in how products will be developed and brought to market. dm’s studio and production systems change the rules of traditional metal manufacturing solutions that reduce costs, while significantly increase speed, safety, and print quality.

the first office-friendly metal 3D printing system for rapid prototyping is 10 times less expensive than existing technology today. the system is a complete platform, including both a printer, and microwave-enhanced sintering furnace. together they deliver complex, even impossible, geometries of metal 3D printed parts right in a designer / engineer’s office, or on the shop floor.

designers + engineers will find desktop metal increases the versatility of prototyping. out of the box, the dm ‘studio system’ is built to support hundreds of different metal alloys — the same metals used to mass produce parts can now be used to prototype them. the system doesn’t require dedicated operators, the dm ‘studio’ makes use of cloud-based software to streamline the entire workflow, so you can go from computer-aided design (CAD) software to printed parts seamlessly.  proprietary separable supports make it possible to remove support structures by hand, while swappable print cartridges make for safe, fast material changes.

the system eliminates the need for expensive, industrial facilities to safely house the technology. unlike traditional metal 3D printing processes, dm’s ‘studio system’ requires no hazardous powders, no lasers, and no cutting tools to operate.  instead it employs bound metal deposition (BMD), a proprietary process, to make accurate and repeatable parts, similar to the safest and most widely used 3D printing process for plastics, fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology. 

to manufacture metal 3D printed parts at full scale, desktop metal also unveils the fastest 3D printing system for mass production of high resolution metal parts today, the dm ‘production system’. using new, proprietary single pass jetting (SPJ) technology, the ‘production system’ is 100 times faster than today’s laser-based additive manufacturing systems. for users, this dramatically reduces the cost-per-part when compared with today’s laser-based systems, making it competitive with mass production techniques like casting for the first time.

since the company was founded in october 2015, desktop metal has raised $97 million and attracted major investors, including GV (formerly google ventures), BMW group, GE, lowe’s, NEA, LUX capital, saudi aramco, and 3D printing manufacturer stratasys. with over 138 patents filed, and a growing team of more than 100 employees, desktop metal is gaining momentum as it brings its products to market.

‘until now, metal 3D printing has failed to meet today’s manufacturing needs due to high costs, slow processes and hazardous materials,’ comments ric fulop, CEO and co-founder of desktop metal. ‘with a team of some of the world’s leading experts in materials science, engineering and innovation, desktop metal has eliminated these barriers by developing metal 3d printing systems that can safely produce complex, strong metal parts at scale.’