3D printing has gone beyond plastics, it is now more useful for creating models and prototypes with different metallic materials. Metal 3D printers are powerful machines used to 3d print models using materials like aluminum, instead of plastic filaments. Metal 3d printers are not yet common as these are not many companies manufacturing theses machines. This post is a list of the most best metal 3d printers in the market in 2024 and their specifications and prices.
1. Metal X
Metal X by Markforged is an accessible end-to-end 3d printing solution. With the metal X your work can be ready the next day because it can print your designs into metal parts in as little as 28 hours. The entire process only takes 3 steps: printing, washing, and sintering. the Metal X comes as a group of 3 machines, the printer, the washer and the sinter
According to Markforged, the beauty of the Metal X is that you are not limited to one kind of material, the printer allows you to print with a wide range of metals like Stainless steel, copper, aluminum, etc.
Specifications
2. Studio System 2
The Studio System 2 by Desktop Metal is an office friendly metal 3D printing system. The system has only two processes and therefore comes as two machines: the printer and the furnace.
The printer works like a normal FDM printer and extrudes metal rods. The furnace first burns away all binders from the models, then it increases temperature to deliver industrial-strength sintering. The entire system is seamless and makes it easy to produce high-performance metal parts in an office/studio setting. You can Change printheads with the press of a button, and change materials quickly with a refillable cartridge system that allows users to easily load material during print jobs and store excess material safely.
Many parts have been printed with the Studio System 2 and they are smooth and strong with walls up to 4mm thick or fully-dense parts (with no infill) up to 5.25mm thick.
3. Shop System
The shop System is another metal 3D printing system by Desktop metal, but unlike the Studio System, the Shop System is much more robust. The Shop System is designed to bring metal 3D printing to machine shops.
The Shop System has 4 machines: the printer, drying oven, powder station, and furnace.
The Shop System is designed with the modern machine shop in mind, it is built to fit seamlessly into your workflow. Produce parts with superior surface finish and resolution better than the laser-based 3D printing systems, at a fraction of the cost
4. Conflux 1 by RAPIDIA
Conflux 1 makes the production of complex metal parts faster, more affordable, and safe. Rapidia’s additive manufacturing platform is powered by Metal Paste Deposition (MPD), a powder-free metal 3D printing process that can scale from lab-based rapid prototyping into an affordable small-scale production solution.
The set comes with a Conflux 1 printer powered by metal paste deposition, a Conflux 1 furnace which allows for rapid turnover of functional metal parts, and a metal paste feedstock. The Conflux 1 prints various metal materials.
Rapidia manufactures equipment that will bring high-speed metal 3D printing to anyone, anywhere.
5. Mlab R
The Mlab R is a metal 3D printer produced by Colibrium Additive, a GE Aerospace manufacturer based in the United States. It uses the Laser beam PBF technology called Direct Metal Laser Melting (DMLM) to produce steel parts using powder feedstock. It is ideal for components with elaborate structures. It offers a build volume of 90 × 90 × 80 mm.
MLab has some other bigger industrial printers like the X Line 2000R and the M Line.
6. SLM®125
The SLM 125 by Nikon SLM Solutions provides compact, accurate high power printing for low powder volume applications. It is the smallest machine in the SLM Solutions’ lineup, it is ideal for a variety of users, from rapid prototyping and low volume manufacturing to serial production and research work.
7. SLM®800
The SLM®800 features an extended z-axis for large-scale part production. The ability to have multiple machines connected via the SLM® HUB opens new possibilities for large-scale industrial metal additive manufacturing.
The SLM®800 efficiently builds large components and opens new production possibilities. All SLM Solutions’ patented innovations have been scaled up and partnered with features such as a metal recoating brush, permanent filter module and centralized powder supply to enable successful large builds. The SLM®HUB and optional Build Cylinder Magazine create an automated, multi-machine production manufacturing cell. The result: A fully automated handling station which maximizes machine uptime and offers a no-contact powder solution for production processes.
8. ProtoFab PF-M280
PF-M280 with a molding size of 250 x 250 x 300 mm can print metal parts directly from 3D files in a rapid, flexible, economic and efficient way. Top quality laser ensures the high efficiency and high performance of our metal 3D printer. ProtoFab’s independent R&D printing control software ensures stable performance of the printer. The ProtoFab PF-M280 has been tested and verified for a wide range of materials and procedures on the market, it is well proved to meet the needs of all customers.
This machine is easy to operate with simple interface, easy operation, and convenient one-click printing. It prints a wide range of materials, including stainless steel, titanium-based alloy, ferro-based alloy, aluminum-based alloy, nickel-based alloy, cobalt-based alloy, copper-based alloy, etc.
9. HP Metal Jet
The Metal Jet1S000 printing solution by HP that promises to reinvent business opportunities with digitally-driven, industrial metal 3D printing for mass production
The HP Metal Jet comes with a powder management station for enhanced operational efficiency. A metal 3D printer that delivers process reliability and repeatability with up to 4 times nozzle redundancy. A curing station that achieves an industrial process control with controllable vacuum flow and uniform head distribution
10. METAL ONE by Sharebot
This metal 3D printer is an open system designed for research. With this machine you can perform multiple tests on various kinds of alloys. It allows you to change spot size, laser speed and powder, and precisely control printing paths.
The Metal One uses Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) technology for printing. t has a laser power of up to 1kW and the you can start a print job in less than 15 minutes
