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Best metal 3D printers in 2022: comprehensive overview

What is the best metal 3D printer in 2022?

Over the past few years, there has been a surge in both supply and demand for metal 3D printers.

Manufacturers are launching metal additive manufacturing machines that are faster, easier to use, and more powerful with an increasing number of compatible metals.

Many businesses are adopting these 3D metal printing technologies to produce cost-effective metal parts and prototypes, benefiting as well from increased freedom of design linked to additive manufacturing. They are suitable for a variety of industries such as aerospace, automotive, health, engineering, and more.

Although metal 3D printer prices have been slowly and slightly decreasing, these machines are still relatively expensive acquisitions, mostly ranging from $80K to almost $1M.

With our metal 3D printer selection, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of what’s available from well-established and distributed brands, at various price points, and with different metal 3D printing technologies.

The best metal 3D printers in 2022

Brand	Product	Build size	Country	Price Approximate starting prices based on supplier-provided information and public data. Prices may vary by region, over time and do not include additional products or services (taxes, shipping, accessories, training, installation, …).
Markforged	Metal X (Gen 2)	300 × 220 × 180 mm11.81 × 8.66 × 7.09 in	United States	$ 99,500125 000 €88,260 £14,831,072 ¥	Quote
Xact Metal	XM200C	127 × 127 × 127 mm5 × 5 × 5 in	United States	$ 110,000100 000 €97,574 £16,396,160 ¥	Quote
Pollen AM	Pam Series MC	⌀ 300 x 300 mm	–	$ 140,000135 000 €124,186 £20,867,840 ¥	Quote
TRUMPF	TruPrint 1000	100 × 100 × 100 mm3.94 × 3.94 × 3.94 in	–	$ 170,000170 000 €150,797 £25,339,520 ¥	Quote
3D Systems This brand is a certified partner from our network.	DMP Flex 100	100 × 100 × 80 mm3.94 × 3.94 × 3.15 in	–	$ 245,000245 000 €217,325 £36,518,720 ¥	Quote
EOS	EOS M 100	100 × 100 × 95 mm3.94 × 3.94 × 3.74 in	Germany	$ 350,000350 000 €310,464 £52,169,600 ¥	Quote
XJet	Carmel 700M	501 × 140 × 200 mm19.72 × 5.51 × 7.87 in	–	$ 599,000599 000 €531,337 £89,284,544 ¥	Quote
Desktop Metal	Production System P-1	200 × 100 × 40 mm7.87 × 3.94 × 1.57 in	United States	upon request	Quote
Desktop Metal	Studio 2	300 × 200 × 200 mm11.81 × 7.87 × 7.87 in	United States	upon request	Quote
Digital Metal	DM P2500	203 × 180 × 69 mm7.99 × 7.09 × 2.72 in	–	upon request	Quote
Formalloy	L-Series	1000 × 1000 × 1000 mm39. 37 × 39.37 × 39.37 in	United States	upon request	Quote
GE Additive	Arcam EBM Spectra L	⌀ 350 x 430 mm	United States	upon request	Quote
GE Additive	M2 Series 5	250 × 250 × 350 mm9.84 × 9.84 × 13.78 in	–	upon request	Quote
Renishaw	RenAM 500E	245 × 245 × 335 mm9.65 × 9.65 × 13.19 in	–	upon request	Quote
SLM Solutions	SLM 125	125 × 125 × 75 mm4.92 × 4.92 × 2.95 in	Germany	upon request	Quote
SPEE3D	LIGHTSPEE3D	300 × 300 × 300 mm11.81 × 11.81 × 11.81 in	–	upon request	Quote
TRIDITIVE	AMCELL	⌀ 300 x 350 mm	Spain	upon request	Quote
Velo3D	Sapphire	⌀ 315 x 1000 mm	–	upon request	Quote

Expand to see more specs

Technology: The technologies listed above are main categories of metal 3D printing technologies. Most manufacturers have their own branded technologies, which fall into the main categories that are listed in the table.

The products in the table are ranked by price (low to high).

Brand	Product	Technology	Build size	Country	Price Approximate starting prices based on supplier-provided information and public data. Prices may vary by region, over time and do not include additional products or services (taxes, shipping, accessories, training, installation, …).
Markforged	Metal X (Gen 2)	Extrusion	300 × 220 × 180 mm11.81 × 8.66 × 7.09 in	United States	$ 99,500125 000 €88,260 £14,831,072 ¥	Get a quote
Xact Metal	XM200C	SLM/DMLS	127 × 127 × 127 mm5 × 5 × 5 in	United States	$ 110,000100 000 €97,574 £16,396,160 ¥	Get a quote
Pollen AM	Pam Series MC	Extrusion	⌀ 300 x 300 mm	–	$ 140,000135 000 €124,186 £20,867,840 ¥	Get a quote
TRUMPF	TruPrint 1000	SLM/DMLS	100 × 100 × 100 mm3. 94 × 3.94 × 3.94 in	–	$ 170,000170 000 €150,797 £25,339,520 ¥	Get a quote
3D Systems This brand is a certified partner from our network.	DMP Flex 100	SLM/DMLS	100 × 100 × 80 mm3.94 × 3.94 × 3.15 in	–	$ 245,000245 000 €217,325 £36,518,720 ¥	Get a quote
EOS	EOS M 100	SLM/DMLS	100 × 100 × 95 mm3.94 × 3.94 × 3.74 in	Germany	$ 350,000350 000 €310,464 £52,169,600 ¥	Get a quote
XJet	Carmel 700M	Material Jetting	501 × 140 × 200 mm19.72 × 5.51 × 7.87 in	–	$ 599,000599 000 €531,337 £89,284,544 ¥	Get a quote
Desktop Metal	Production System P-1	Binder Jetting	200 × 100 × 40 mm7.87 × 3.94 × 1.57 in	United States	upon request	Get a quote
Desktop Metal	Studio 2	Extrusion	300 × 200 × 200 mm11. 81 × 7.87 × 7.87 in	United States	upon request	Get a quote
Digital Metal	DM P2500	Material Jetting	203 × 180 × 69 mm7.99 × 7.09 × 2.72 in	–	upon request	Get a quote
Formalloy	L-Series	Directed Energy Deposition	1000 × 1000 × 1000 mm39.37 × 39.37 × 39.37 in	United States	upon request	Get a quote
GE Additive	Arcam EBM Spectra L	EBM	⌀ 350 x 430 mm	United States	upon request	Get a quote
GE Additive	M2 Series 5	SLM/DMLS	250 × 250 × 350 mm9.84 × 9.84 × 13.78 in	–	upon request	Get a quote
Renishaw	RenAM 500E	SLM/DMLS	245 × 245 × 335 mm9.65 × 9.65 × 13.19 in	–	upon request	Get a quote
SLM Solutions	SLM 125	SLM/DMLS	125 × 125 × 75 mm4. 92 × 4.92 × 2.95 in	Germany	upon request	Get a quote
SPEE3D	LIGHTSPEE3D	Material Jetting	300 × 300 × 300 mm11.81 × 11.81 × 11.81 in	–	upon request	Get a quote
TRIDITIVE	AMCELL	Extrusion	⌀ 300 x 350 mm	Spain	upon request	Get a quote
Velo3D	Sapphire	SLM/DMLS	⌀ 315 x 1000 mm	–	upon request	Get a quote

Main types of metal 3D printing technologies

The four main types of 3D metal printing technologies are:

Metal Powder Bed Fusion 3D printing (SLS, SLM, DMP)
Directed Energy Deposition (DED)
Metal filament extrusion (FFF, FDM)
Material Jetting and Binder Jetting

There are also some resin-based metal 3D printers, and metal sheet lamination 3D printers, but they are harder to come by.

It is not uncommon to see different acronyms and names for similar technologies. Each brand markets their own, proprietary methods. Some metal 3D printer companies even use a mix of different technologies.

A breakdown of the metal 3D printer market by technology types. Source: Aniwaa database (2019)

Here we provide a deeper look into each 3D metal printer from our list. They are grouped together according to their main 3D printing technology type (powder bed fusion, material/binder jetting, extrusion, and DED).

Extrusion-based metal 3D printer selection (FFF, FDM)

Extrusion consists of heating the material (filament) and pushing it through a nozzle. In the metal 3D printing case, the filament is generally made up of metal particles mixed into a binding agent.

After the part is 3D printed, the result is a raw object or part; it must go through several post-processing steps– such as debinding and sintering– to attain its final form.

Most extrusion-based metal 3D printing processes include these steps. The above illustration is sourced from Desktop Metal (Bound Metal Deposition™ process).

Desktop Metal’s Studio is an office-friendly, end-to-end metal 3D printing system. Aside from the printer, the Studio line also includes a debinding machine and a furnace for sintering. Indeed, parts 3D printed with this Desktop Metal 3D printer are “green”.

The Studio printer, with its proprietary Bound Metal Deposition technology, uses filament that is filled with small, metal rods. During debinding, the binding material (wax and polymer binders) is dissolved thanks to a proprietary liquid substance. The part is left porous, and must go in the furnace for its particles to fuse and densify the part.

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MarkForged is specialized in continuous fiber 3D printing, but also offers metal 3D printing with their Metal X system, featuring Atomic Diffusion Additive Manufacturing (ADAM) technology.

This MarkForged 3D printer extrudes metal-filled plastic filament to form the part, which must then be washed with a special debinding fluid (Wash-1 Station) and then sintered in a furnace (Sinter-1 or Sinter-2 MarkForged machines).

Available metal 3D printer filament includes various Steels (h23, A2, D2 tool steels, 316L stainless steel) as well as Inconel, Copper, and Titanium.

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Canada-based Rapidia offers an interesting and unique way to 3D print metal. They use a water-based metal paste, which eliminates the need for chemical debinding. The water evaporates during the 3D printing process, so the part only needs to go through the furnace in order to completely solidify and attain its final form.

Confirmed, available paste types include several Stainless Steels, Inconel, and a few ceramics. Copper, Tungsten Chrome Carbide, Titanium, and various other metals are in development.

The ExOne Metal Designlab, designed in collaboration with Rapidia, works on the same basis.

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Pollen AM is a French manufacturer that has been producing pellet 3D printers since 2013. Their Pam Series MC is a delta-style 3D printer (cylindrical build volume) that can print metals, ceramics, and thermoplastics.

It extrudes injection-molding-grade pellets instead of metal 3D printer filament, driving material costs down significantly. Pollen AM names their technology “Pellet Additive Manufacturing”.

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This machine was built with one goal: enable mass production 3D printing of metal parts 24/7. The AMCELL is fully automated, with auto feedstock control, environment control (temperatures, humidity, air filtering), and an ejection system fitted with a conveyor belt.

Rather than providing one, big build volume, the TRIDITIVE AMCELL boasts eight delta-style ø 220 x 330 mm build areas. Its eight “robots” deposit metal-infused filament to create 3D metal parts. TRIDITIVE states that resulting parts are similar to ones produced with traditional MIM (Metal Injection Molding) methods.

TRIDITIVE’s technology is called Automated Multimaterial Deposition®.

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Metal powder bed fusion 3D printer selection (SLS, SLM, DMP, and more)

At the moment, the most commonly used metal additive manufacturing technology is powder bed fusion 3D printing. Simply put, the 3D printer creates objects out of a bed of powdered metal by using a powerful laser.

3D Systems, a historical actor on many 3D printing fronts, presents the DMP FLEX 100 as a fast, precise, and affordable metal 3D printer. It offers impressive part repeatability and surface finishes, of around 20 μm and 5 Ra μm respectively. DMP stands for Direct Metal Printing.

The printer comes with 3D Systems’ software 3DXpert All-in-One Software Solution for Metal Additive manufacturing. Their LaserForm metal 3D powders are certified.

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This compact metal 3D printer is destined for the production of small parts in small quantities. Its material portfolio is especially interesting for medical use cases, namely dental crowns and bridges. EOS certified metal powders include Cobalt-Chrome, Stainless Steel, and Titanium.

The EOS M100’s laser spot is precise enough to provide a great level of detail, backed by 200 W of powder.

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Originally a Swedish company, Arcam was acquired by GE Additive a few years ago. The Arcam EBM Spectra L is up to 20% faster than its predecessors and is able to reduce part costs by around 10%.

This metal 3D printer is dedicated to Titanium 3D printing, but Copper is in the pipeline as well. Its laser beam power is equal to 4.5 kW, partly explaining the printer’s high melting capacity and productivity. Common applications for this printer include orthopedic implants and parts for the aerospace industry.

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Concept Laser is the company behind GE Additive’s M2 Series 5. It offers an easy, optimized workflow, with a separate processing chamber and handling area that is integrated into the system. This closed-loop material system ensures a safe environment that is free of powder for the operator.

The M2 metal additive manufacturing solution is compatible with a range of metals, from Stainless Steels to Aluminum, Nickel, Titanium, and Cobalt-Chrome.

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The RenAM 500E is Renishaw’s entry-level metal additive manufacturing solution. It offers a relatively large build volume and powder can be handled via a dedicated glove box to avoid powder from getting free.

This system is also equipped with an oxygen sensor and a proprietary emission-filtering system branded SafeChange™.

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Officially established in 2006, SLM Solutions has been a historical player in the powder bed fusion industry for many years. The SLM 125 boasts an open software architecture that allows users to tweak the system’s parameters according to specific use cases, materials, and general needs.

Options such as laser monitoring and melt pool monitoring are available for businesses that require full transparency and control over their production series.

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The TruPrint 1000 is TRUMPF’s most compact metal 3D printing system, with a 100mm-tall cylindrical build volume. It is suitable for the production of small parts and prototypes, and even small production series when equipped with the multilaser option that increases the printer’s speed.

This metal 3D printer can be operated remotely via a tablet application, which also gives access to its onboard camera stream.

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The Velo3D Sapphire is a high-volume metal 3D printer from the US designed for production series. This metal 3D printer features Velo3D’s Intelligent Fusion technology to allow for complex geometries and 0° overhangs.

The system is also equipped with a range of metrology sensors that measure each and every layer that is 3D printed.

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The XM200C is Xact Metal’s entry-level metal 3D printing solution. It is suitable for both research purposes and small production series. The XM200C benefits from a proprietary Xact Core gantry system for precise movements with a fusing speed of up to 500 mm/s.

Xact Metal offers their own materials, branded Xact Powder, including various Stainless Steels, Super Alloys, Tooling Steels, Aluminum, Titanium, Bronze, and Copper. Advanced users are able to use their own metal powders if needed.

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Metal material jetting and binder jetting 3D printers

Material jetting 3D printers are equipped with various inkjet printheads (somewhat similar to 2D printing) that jet material onto a surface. The material then hardens, and another layer of “metal ink” is jetted on top.

Binder jetting is a similar process, but it is a binding agent that is jetted atop a layer of powder.

The Production System by Desktop Metal was designed for mass production. It is advertised by Desktop Metal as being a fast, cost-effective metal additive manufacturing solution, with a cost per part up to 20 times lower than with other metal 3D printing systems.

This Desktop Metal 3D printer is equipped with over 16,000 nozzles that are mounted onto a “print bar” that recoats the build plate with powder at the same time, hence explaining the technology’s name: Single Pass Jetting™.

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Digital Metal, a Höganäs Group company, creates incredibly detailed metal parts with their DM P2500 system. It is able to print 3D metal parts with an accuracy as high as 0.001mm (1µ), and with a medical-grade surface quality of around 0.006mm (6µ).

Another interesting feat to point out is that almost 100% of leftover powder can be recycled for future prints. This metal AM machine is able to churn out serial production series efficiently and reliably; one of the company’s first DM P2500 printers has been running 24/7 since 2013, according to Digital Metal.

The Digital Metal DM P2500 is a certified metal 3D printer (CE and UL) that is compatible with certified metal materials (ISO 22068).

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Australian manufacturer SPEE3D has developed an impressively fast metal 3D printing technology called Supersonic Deposition. The technology is based on metal cold spray, using compressed air to “jet” metal powder through a nozzle at high speeds.

This enables the LightSPEE3D to 3D print at up to 100 grams per minute and with a range of metals including copper.

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XJet developed an impressive, proprietary jetting technology they call NanoParticle Jetting™. This inkjet method disperses millions of tiny droplets that contain nanoparticles of solid metal. The liquid material comes in cartridges that are easy to insert into the printer.

After being printed, the metal parts must go through support removal and sintering processes to attain their final form.

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DED: Directed Energy Deposition metal additive manufacturing systems

Directed Energy Deposition (DED) is comparable to filament extrusion. The metal material is pushed through a special nozzle, like with FFF/FDM, but a powerful laser beam solidifies the material at its deposition point.

Formalloy produces a range of metal DED 3D printers with up to 5 axes of motion. They can be used to produce metal parts but also to repair or clad existing parts.

Different laser wavelengths are available, as well as different build volumes: 200 x 200 x 200 mm, 500 x 500 x 500 mm, and 1000 x 1000 x 1000 mm. Metal 3D printers from Formalloy can be customized depending on company requirements.

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Alternative metal 3D printers and special mentions

Hybrid metal manufacturing systems

Some manufacturers are specialized in hybrid metal manufacturing systems. They combine both subtractive and additive manufacturing methods, often with robotic arms that are able to move on more than three axes.

Some of the biggest actors on the hybrid metal AM system market are:

Gefertec (Germany)
DMG Mori (Germany)
Matsuura (Japan)
Sodick (United States)

XXL-sized metal 3D printers for industrial production

For those that require very large metal parts, there are several huge, industrial machines that offer gigantic build volumes for industrial production. To name a few:

Sciaky EBAM 300
Titomic TKF1000
ADC Aeroswift
ADIRA AddCreator
Fabrisonic SonicLayer 4000
ExOne X1 160PRO
InssTek MX-600
BeAM Modulo 400
Optomec Lens CS 600
Additive Industries MetalFAB1

Metal 3D printers from China

There has recently been a lot of growth in the metal 3D printer market in Asia, and more specifically in China. Some Chinese brands have been upping their game in that respect, providing industrial-grade metal 3D printing options:

Farsoon
ZRapid Tech
Shining 3D
Wiiboox

However, we feel that they are not yet playing in the same league as the 3D printers from our main selection, mostly due to a lack of distribution networks, after-sales service and training, and other factors which tend to matter when considering them together as a whole.

R&D metal 3D printers for labs

In certain cases, metal 3D printers are used for research purposes to develop and test new materials. There are a few machines that are specifically designed for this:

Open Additive PANDA-6”
Freemelt ONE
Sharebot metalONE

Pros and cons of metal 3D additive manufacturing

Benefits of 3D printing metal parts

On-demand production: Metal additive manufacturing offers more flexibility and control over the production line.

Complex designs made possible: With 3D printing technology, it is possible to create highly detailed and intricate parts that would have to be broken down into several pieces with traditional methods.

Waste reduction: Compared to CNC milling, for example, metal AM produces much less waste as it only consumes the material needed for a certain part. This is more true for extrusion-based methods than it is for powder-based methods, where it isn’t always possible to re-use 100% of unsintered or unbinded material.

Lighter parts: Whereas metal parts are usually completely solid infill-wise with other methods, 3D printing allows parts to be more or less hollow without undermining their strength and resistance.

Cost-effectiveness: All the above benefits of metal 3D printing can inherently reduce costs per part, although high metal 3D printer prices do represent a significant entry barrier. Reaching a positive return on investment can take a while depending on your throughput.

Limits of metal 3D printing

Metal 3D printing prices: Metal AM systems are still quite expensive, as are metal powders and metal filaments. There are hidden costs, too (e.g. energy consumption, learning curve, etc.).

Environmental constraints and safety precautions: Most metal 3D printers have a large footprint and require specific operating environments with controlled temperatures, hygrometry, and more.

Post-processing: In many cases it is necessary for parts to be post-processed, whether it’s debinding and sintering or finishing touches for surface quality.

Physical properties: It can be difficult to achieve the same physical properties that traditionally manufactured metal parts have. There are a number of factors (e.g. anisotropy) to take into account during the design process and file preparation before even trying to 3D print a certain part.

Metal 3D printing materials

Which metals can you 3D print?

A growing number of metals and metal alloys can be 3D printed. These are the main ones:

Aluminum
Titanium
Nickel, Inconel
Copper
Bronze
Cobalt, Cobalt-Chrome
Steels (tooling, maraging, stainless)
Precious metals (gold, silver, platinum)

Which metal 3D printing material formats are available?

Metal 3D printing material can be found in various formats, catering to different metal 3D printing methods. The most common are:

Powder
Wire
Filament

It is also possible to find metal 3D printing resin as well as metal sheets for lamination-based 3D printers.

Metal 3D printer price: how much does a metal 3D printer cost?

Industrial metal 3D printer prices generally range from about $30,000 to over one million dollars for the most premium, industrial-grade metal additive manufacturing systems.

Additional costs to consider are the materials for metal 3D printing, which can cost a few hundred USD/kg, as well as costs linked to post-processing (tools, time, etc.).

Applications for metal AM systems

There are thousands of possibilities and use cases for metal 3D printing in a wide range of industries. A few industries have been incrementally using metal AM:

Aerospace
Automotive
Medical

Whether it’s for tooling, replacement parts, or final products, many businesses can benefit from metal 3D printing.

However, metal additive manufacturing isn’t necessarily beneficial for every single metal part. Although some metal 3D printing systems have a relative capacity for serial production, it is generally cheaper to keep using traditional methods for simple parts.

For cases where complex geometries, rapid prototyping, and mass customization are required, metal AM is convenient and efficient.

Metal 3D printing services: order 3D metal parts online

For professionals with limited office space and human resources, low budgets, and/or few needs of custom parts and prototypes, metal 3D printing services can be an ideal solution.

These additive manufacturing service companies own a variety of high-quality 3D printers with different technologies, and their professionals are experts in 3D printing. It is possible to order metal 3D parts on-demand, without acquiring a 3D printer or having to buy a certain material for one-time use.

Here are some of the most trusted 3D printing service providers that offer metal printing services:

Sculpteo
Shapeways
Hubs (ex 3D Hubs)
Stratasys
i.materialise
Protolabs

Metal 3D printing technologies and acronyms

Many manufacturers develop proprietary variations of existing technologies and label them their own registered names:

Powder Bed Fusion (PBF): DMLS (Direct Metal Laser Sintering), DMP (Direct Metal Printing), LaserCUSING, LBM (Laser Beam Melting), LMF (Laser Metal Fusion), SLS (Selective Laser Sintering), SLM (Selective Laser Melting)
Directed Energy Deposition (DED): DMT (Direct Metal Tooling), EBAM (Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing), EBM (Electron Beam Melting), LENS (Laser Engineered Net Shaping), LMD (Laser Metal Deposition)
Metal Material Jetting (MJ) or Binder Jetting (BJ): Magnet-o-Jet, Nanoparticle Jetting, SPJ (Single Pass Jetting), Metal Jet
Metal filament extrusion/Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF): ADAM (Atomic Diffusion Additive Manufacturing), CEM (Composite Extrusion Modeling), FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling), FFD (Fused Feedstock Deposition), FMP (Filament Metal Printing), BMD (Bound Metal Deposition), MIM (Metal Injection Molding)
Lamination: SL (Sheet Lamination), UAM (Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing)
Metal resin 3D printing: DLP (Digital Light Processing), FluidFM, SLA (Stereolithography)

Metal 3D printing FAQ

Is 3D printed metal strong?

Metal 3D printed parts can be as strong (or even stronger) as metal parts created with traditional manufacturing processes such as casting. The part’s strength will, however, depend on the metal AM method used and the conditions in which it is 3D printed.

When was 3D metal printing invented?

Metal 3D printing became possible in the 1990s with the development of Selective Laser Melting technology. However, 3D metal printing only started to gain traction and public interest from around 2010 onwards.

How does metal 3D printing work?

There are several ways to 3D print metal. Layers of metal filament can be deposited one after the other, producing a green part that must later go through debinding and sintering steps. It is also possible to fuse metal powder particles together with a laser, or with an inkjet printhead that deposits drops of binding material onto the powder.

Metal 3D Printing Service for Custom Parts

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→ Why Metal 3D Printing?

Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) is an industrial metal 3D printing process that builds fully functional metal prototypes and production parts in 7 days or less. A range of metals produce final parts that can be used for end-use applications.

Metal 3D printing technology is commonly used for:

Prototyping in production-grade materials
Complex geometries
Functional, end-use parts
Reducing metal components in an assembly

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Metal 3D Printing Guide

Jump start your metal 3D printing with this guide that covers material selection, design, post-processing, and quality inspections.

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Metal 3D Printing Capabilities

Our basic guidelines for metal 3D printing include important design considerations to help improve part manufacturability, enhance cosmetic appearance, and reduce overall production time.

Metal 3D Printing Tolerances

For well-designed parts, tolerances of +0.003 in. (0.076mm) plus 0.1% of nominal length can typically be achieved. Note that tolerances may change depending on part geometry.

Max Dimensions

Layer Thickness

Minimum Feature Size

Tolerances

*At this time, Inconel 718 and Aluminum are the only materials available on our large format, X Line machine

Metal 3D Printing Material Options

Below is our available metal alloys for 3D printing. Various heat treatments are available depending on material.

Stainless Steel (17-4 PH)

Stainless Steel 17-4 PH is a precipitation hardened stainless steel that is known for its hardness and corrosion resistance. If needing a stainless steel option, select 17-4 PH for its significantly higher tensile strength and yield strength, but recognize that it has far less elongation at break than 316L. Final parts built 17-4 PH receive vacuum solution heat treatment as well as H900 aging.

Primary Benefits

Heat treated for full hardness and strength
Corrosion resistance

LEARN MORE>

Stainless Steel (316L)

Stainless steel 316L is a workhorse material used for manufacturing acid and corrosion resistant parts. Select 316L when stainless steel flexibility is needed; 316L is a more malleable material compared to 17-4 PH. Final parts built in 316L receive stress relief application.

Primary Benefits

Acid and corrosion resistance
High ductility

LEARN MORE>

Aluminum (AlSi10Mg)

Aluminum (AlSi10Mg) is comparable to a 3000 series alloy that is used in casting and die casting processes. It has good strength -to-weight ratio, high temperature and corrosion resistance, and good fatigue, creep and rupture strength. AlSi10Mg also exhibits thermal and electrical conductivity properties. Final parts built in AlSi10Mg receive stress relief application.

Primary Benefits

High stiffness and strength relative to weight
Thermal and electrical conductivity

LEARN MORE>

Inconel 718

Inconel is a high strength, corrosion resistant nickel chromium superalloy ideal for parts that will experience extreme temperatures and mechanical loading. Final parts built in Inconel 718 receive stress relief application. Solution and aging per AMS 5663 is also available to increase tensile strength and hardness.

Primary Benefits

Oxidation and corrosion resistance
High performance tensile, fatigue, creep, and rupture strength

LEARN MORE>

Cobalt Chrome (Co28Cr6Mo)

Cobalt Chrome (Co28Cr6Mo) is a superalloy is known for its high strength-to-weight ratio.

Primary Benefits

High performance tensile and creep
Corrosion resistance

LEARN MORE>

Titanium (Ti6Al4V)

Titanium (Ti6Al4V) is a workhorse alloy. Versus Ti grade 23 annealed, the mechanical properties of Ti6Al4V are comparable to wrought titanium for tensile strength, elongation, and hardness. Final parts built in Ti6Al4V receive vacuum stress relief application.

Primary Benefits

High stiffness and strength relative to weight
High temperature and corrosion resistance

LEARN MORE>

Compare Material Properties

20 μm = high resolution (HR)
30, 40, and 60 μm = normal resolution (NR)

US
Metric

Materials	Resolution	Condition	Ultimate Tensile Strength (ksi)	Yield Stress (ksi)	Elongation (%)	Hardness
Stainless Steel (17-4 PH)	20 μm	Solution & Aged (H900)	199	178	10	42 HRC
Stainless Steel (17-4 PH)	30 μm	Solution & Aged (H900)	198	179	13	42 HRC
Stainless Steel (316L)	20 μm	Stress Relieved	82	56	78	90 HRB
Stainless Steel (316L)	30 μm	Stress Relieved	85	55	75	88 HRB
Aluminum (AlSi10Mg)	20 μm	Stress Relieved	39	26	15	42 HRB
	30 μm	Stress Relieved	50	33	8	59 HRB
	40 μm	Stress Relieved	43	27	10	50 HRB
Cobalt Chrome (Co28Cr6Mo)	20 μm	As Built	182	112	17	39 HRC
Cobalt Chrome (Co28Cr6Mo)	30 μm	As Built	176	119	14	38 HRC
Inconel 718	20 μm	Stress Relieved	143	98	36	33 HRC
	30 μm	Stress Relieved	144	91	39	30 HRC
	30 μm	Solution & Aged per AMS 5663	208	175	18	46 HRC
	60 μm	Stress Relieved	139	83	40	27 HRC
	60 μm	Solution & Aged per AMS 5663	201	174	19	45 HRC
Titanium (Ti6Al4V)	20 μm	Stress Relieved	153	138	15	35 HRC
Titanium (Ti6Al4V)	30 μm	Stress Relieved	144	124	18	33 HRC

Materials	Resolution	Condition	Ultimate Tensile Strength (MPa)	Yield Stress (MPa)	Elongation (%)	Hardness
Stainless Steel (17-4 PH)	20 μm	Solution & Aged (H900)	1,372	1,227	10	42 HRC
Stainless Steel (17-4 PH)	30 μm	Solution & Aged (H900)	1,365	1,234	13	42 HRC
Stainless Steel (316L)	20 μm	Stress Relieved	565	386	78	90 HRB
Stainless Steel (316L)	30 μm	Stress Relieved	586	379	75	88 HRB
Aluminum (AlSi10Mg)	20 μm	Stress Relieved	268	180	15	46 HRB
	30 μm	Stress Relieved	345	228	8	59 HRB
	40 μm	Stress Relieved	296	186	10	50 HRB
Cobalt Chrome (Co28Cr6Mo)	20 μm	As Built	1255	772	17	39 HRC
Cobalt Chrome (Co28Cr6Mo)	30 μm	As Built	1213	820	14	38 HRC
Copper (CuNi2SiCr)	20 μm	Precipitation Hardened	496	434	23	87 HRB
Inconel 718	20 μm	Stress Relieved	986	676	36	33 HRC
	30 μm	Stress Relieved	993	627	39	30 HRC
	30 μm	Solution & Aged per AMS 5663	1434	1207	18	46 HRC
	60 μm	Stress Relieved	958	572	40	27 HRC
	60 μm	Solution & Aged per AMS 5663	1386	1200	19	45 HRC
Titanium (Ti6Al4V)	20 μm	Stress Relieved	1055	951	15	35 HRC
Titanium (Ti6Al4V)	30 μm	Stress Relieved	993	855	18	33 HRC

These figures are approximate and dependent on a number of factors, including but not limited to, machine and process parameters. The information provided is therefore not binding and not deemed to be certified. When performance is critical, also consider independent lab testing of additive materials or final parts.

Surface Finish Options

Standard Finish

Expect roughness values of 200 to 400 µin Ra (0.005 to 0.010mm Ra), depending on material and resolution. Support structures are removed and layer lines are visible.

Custom Finish

We offer brushed surfaces in a range of grits and polished mirror finishes. Be sure to indicate if the custom surface finish is for functional or aesthetic purposes so we can best consult you on our custom options.

Post-Processing Capabilities for Metal 3D-Printed Parts

Improve strength, dimensional accuracy, and cosmetic appearance of final metal components with DMLS for production.

Surface Finishing

3- and 5-axis milling
Turning
Polish (Mirror or Brushed)
Passivation
Wire EDM
Tapping and reaming

Heat Treatments

Stress relief
NADCAP heat treatment
Hot isostatic pressing (HIP)
Solution annealing
Aging

Mechanical Testing

Tensile
Rockwell Hardness

Powder Analysis & Material

Traceability
Chemistry
Particle size and distribution analysis

Why Use Metal 3D Printing?

See how metal additive manufacturing technology can be used to reduce components within an assembly, fabricate complex geometries, and ultimately save you time and costs.

Click to enlarge

How Does Metal 3D Printing Work?

The DMLS machine begins sintering each layer—first the support structures to the base plate, then the part itself—with a laser aimed onto a bed of metallic powder. After a cross-section layer of powder is micro-welded, the build platform shifts down and a recoater blade moves across the platform to deposit the next layer of powder into an inert build chamber. The process is repeated layer by layer until the build is complete.

When the build finishes, an initial brushing is manually administered to parts to remove a majority of loose powder, followed by the appropriate heat-treat cycle while still fixtured in the support systems to relieve any stresses. Parts are removed from the platform and support structures are removed from the parts, then finished with any needed bead blasting and deburring. Final DMLS parts are near 100 percent dense.

Large Format Metal 3D Printing

We recently added the GE Additive X Line to our fleet of metal 3D printers to build large Inconel 718 and Aluminum (AlSi10Mg) parts. Have a project that might be a good fit? Contact us and we can discuss your requirements.

Learn More >

Metal 3D Printing for Production

Improve strength, dimensional accuracy, and cosmetic appearance for end-use metal components with post-processing options like CNC machining and heat treatments.

Learn More >

Resources

Post-Processing for Metal 3D Printing

Learn how to improve dimensional accuracy, surface roughness, and mechanical properties on metal parts with high-requirement applications.

Read Design Tip

Combining Part Assemblies with Additive Manufacturing to Reduce Cost and Increase Performance

How to find the right opportunities to consolidate multi-part assemblies into single components with industrial 3D printing

Read White Paper

Inconel 718: A Workhorse Material for Additive Manufacturing

Inconel 718 is a go-to material for additive manufacturing of metal parts.

Read Blog

Large Format 3D Printing for Aluminum and Inconel Parts

When you’re printing really large parts in metal, it’s great to have a choice of materials. Aluminum and Inconel 718 both make a lot of sense, but which one is the best for your application?

Read Blog

Instant quotes on 3D-printed parts

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Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)

1 DMLS Technology
2 Advantages and disadvantages
3 Application
4 Materials
5 3D Printing Technologies

DMLS Technology

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) is a metal additive manufacturing technology developed by EOS in Munich. DMLS is often confused with the similar technologies of selective laser sintering ("Selective Laser Sintering" or SLS) and selective laser melting ("Selective Laser Melting" or SLM). nine0018

The process involves using 3D STL models as blueprints to build physical models. The three-dimensional model is subject to digital processing for virtual separation into thin layers with a thickness corresponding to the thickness of the layers applied by the printing device. The finished "construction" file is used as a set of drawings during printing. As a heating element for sintering metal powder, fiber-optic lasers of relatively high power, about 200 W, are used. Some devices use more powerful lasers with faster scanning (i.e. moving the laser beam) for higher performance. Alternatively, it is possible to increase productivity by using multiple lasers. nine0018

DMLS allows you to create one-piece metal parts of complex geometric shapes

Powder material is fed into the working chamber in the quantities required to apply one layer. A special roller levels the fed material into an even layer and removes excess material from the chamber, after which the laser head sinters fresh powder particles between themselves and with the previous layer according to the contours defined by the digital model. After the completion of the layer drawing, the process is repeated: the roller feeds fresh material and the laser starts to sinter the next layer. An attractive feature of this technology is the very high print resolution - about 20 microns on average. For comparison, the typical layer thickness in hobby and consumer printers using FDM/FFF technology is on the order of 100 microns. nine0018

Another interesting feature of the process is that there is no need to build supports for overhanging structural elements. The green powder is not removed during printing, but remains in the working chamber. Thus, each subsequent layer has a supporting surface. In addition, unused material can be collected from the build chamber after printing is completed and reused. DMLS production can be considered virtually waste-free, which is important when using expensive materials such as precious metals. nine0018

The technology has practically no restrictions on the geometric complexity of construction, and the high accuracy of execution minimizes the need for mechanical processing of printed products.

Advantages and disadvantages

DMLS technology has several advantages over traditional manufacturing methods. The most obvious is the possibility of rapid production of geometrically complex parts without the need for machining (the so-called "subtractive" methods - milling, drilling, etc.). Production is practically waste-free, which distinguishes DMLS from subtractive technologies. The technology allows you to create several models at the same time with a limitation only on the size of the working chamber. Building models takes about several hours, which is incommensurably more profitable than the casting process, which can take up to several months, taking into account the full production cycle. On the other hand, parts produced by laser sintering do not have solidity, and therefore do not achieve the same strength values as cast samples or parts produced by subtractive methods. nine0018

At the moment, DMLS machines are used only in a professional environment due to the high cost.

DMLS is actively used in industry due to the possibility of building internal structures of one-piece parts, inaccessible in terms of complexity to traditional production methods. Details with complex geometry can be made as a whole, and not from component parts, which favorably affects the quality and cost of products. Since DMLS does not require special tools (such as molds) and does not generate large amounts of waste (as is the case with subtractive methods), the production of small batches with this technology is much more profitable than with traditional methods. nine0018

Application

DMLS technology is applied to the production of small and medium-sized finished products in various industries, including aerospace, dental, medical, etc. The typical size of the building area of existing plants is 250x250x250mm, although there is no technological limitation on size - it is only a matter of cost devices. DMLS is used for rapid prototyping, reducing the development time of new products, as well as in production, reducing the cost of small batches and simplifying the assembly of complex geometric shapes. nine0018

Photos of Super Draco rocket engine parts released by Space X founder Elon Musk

Northwest Polytechnic University of China uses DMLS systems to produce aircraft structural components. Research conducted by EADS also indicates cost and waste reductions when using DMLS technology to produce complex designs in single or small batches.

On September 5, 2013, Elon Musk posted photos of a Super Draco rocket motor part made from Inconel nickel-chromium superalloy using an EOS printer. nine0018

Materials

Almost all metals and alloys in powder form can be used as consumables. To date, stainless steel, cobalt-chromium alloys, titanium and other materials have been successfully used.

3D Printing Technologies

Mask Stereolithography (SGC)
Multi-Jet Simulation (MJM) Technology
Color Inkjet (CJP)
Digital LED Projection (DLP)
3D Inkjet Printing (3DP)
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
Selective laser melting (SLM)
Stereolithography (SLA)
Selective heat sintering (SHS)
Lamination of objects (LOM)
Electron Beam Melting (EBM)
Electron Beam Fusion Manufacturing (EBFȝ)
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)

Availability

In stock

Manufacturer

Phrozen Raise3D Creality wanhao FlashForge

PICASO 3D Anycubic Formlabs Tiertime Flyingbear QIDI Uniz CreatBot Dremel DigiLab Felix Zortrax XYZprinting Ultimaker imprinta Elegoo MakerBot Anet FLSUN iBridger Peopoly snapmaker Voltera Voxelab ZENIT nine0018

Delivery

Assembled printer Assembly kit

Application

Architecture For large objects For beginners The medicine Education

Orthopedics Production prototyping Reverse engineering Advertising, exhibitions Sculpture Dentistry Hobby jewelry nine0018

Print technology

DLP/LCD/SLA FDM/FFF LFS

Thread diameter

1. 75 mm 2.85 mm 3.00 mm nine0018

Material type

ABS PLA PETG Photopolymers Flex

Nylon (Nylon) ASA Carbon HIPS PC PEEK PP TPU other Metal (Ultrafuse 316L, Ultrafuse 17-4PH) nine0018

Number of extruders (print heads)

Heating table

Yes No

Wi-Fi or other wireless network

Yes No

Country of origin

China Russia USA Taiwan Hong Kong nine0018

Netherlands Poland

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3D printing is one of the most promising areas of technological development in the 21st century. Having gone a long way from bulky and heavy boxes to compact desktop devices, 3D printers have ceased to be something inaccessible to a wide range of users.

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Metal 3D Printing Guide

Metal 3D Printing Capabilities

Our basic guidelines for metal 3D printing include important design considerations to help improve part manufacturability, enhance cosmetic appearance, and reduce overall production time.

Metal 3D Printing Tolerances

Max Dimensions

Layer Thickness

Minimum Feature Size

Tolerances

Stainless Steel (17-4 PH)

Stainless Steel (316L)

Aluminum (AlSi10Mg)

Inconel 718

Cobalt Chrome (Co28Cr6Mo)

Titanium (Ti6Al4V)

Compare Material Properties

Surface Finish Options

Post-Processing Capabilities for Metal 3D-Printed Parts

Why Use Metal 3D Printing?

How Does Metal 3D Printing Work?

Large Format Metal 3D Printing

Metal 3D Printing for Production

Resources

Post-Processing for Metal 3D Printing

Combining Part Assemblies with Additive Manufacturing to Reduce Cost and Increase Performance

Inconel 718: A Workhorse Material for Additive Manufacturing

Large Format 3D Printing for Aluminum and Inconel Parts

Instant quotes on 3D-printed parts

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)

DMLS Technology

Advantages and disadvantages

Application

Materials

3D Printing Technologies

Learn more