Desktop Metal Launches ETEC Pro XL 3D Printer

BOSTON, MA, Oct 11, 2023 – Desktop Metal, Inc., a global leader in Additive Manufacturing 2.0 technologies for mass production of metal, ceramic, polymer, and health products, today announced the launch of the ETEC Pro XL — a premium polymer DLP printer that enters the market at less than half the price as its predecessor.

Now available below $40,000, the ETEC Pro XL premium polymer 3D printer delivers extreme accuracy, resolution, and surface finish in a large build area with the high throughput speeds for which area-wide DLP technology is known. (Photo: Business Wire)

The ETEC Pro XL features a large build area of 249.1 x 140.1 x 165.1 mm (9.8 x 5.5 x 6.5 in) and a significant number of new, high-value updates:

  • a 4K ultra high-definition projector (3840 x 2160 pixel) delivers optimum build size and pixel resolution
  • a premium 385 nm wavelength light engine delivers 5mW/cm^2 power density that translates into faster layer exposure times
  • HyperPrint technology turbocharges already-fast DLP print times with a resin heater and closed-loop sensing system for continuous isotropic printing with low pulling forces
  • native XY resolution of 65 μm with dynamic voxel resolution in Z, material dependent, of 25, 50, or 100 μm

“Our ETEC polymer brand has been a leader for 20+ years in high-quality DLP printing, and the ETC Pro XL continues that legacy at an accessible new price point while delivering critical user upgrades,” said Ric Fulop. “DLP remains a superior polymer 3D printing technology for speed, surface finish, and accuracy, which is why we have more than 300 Super Fleet customers around the world with more than three systems running around-the-clock production with our machines. That includes manufacturers of industrial goods, toys, jewelry, medical devices, and consumer electronics. Our average customer fleet size is six printers, but it is not uncommon for our customers to have fleets of more than 20 printers. The platform on which the ETEC Pro XL is based, originally known as the Perfactory and more recently known as the P4K, has been a major driver of these Super Fleets.”

The ETEC Pro XL is currently qualified for use with E-Rigid Form Charcoal, a polyurethane-like resin with high strength and stiffness; HTM 140, a high-temperature molding material; and Easy Cast 2.0, a high-wax jewelry casting material. ETEC Pro XL is also backwards-compatible with materials previously approved for prior models of the P4K and Perfactory upon request. This system is also compatible with third-party resins from trusted manufacturers such as Henkel Loctite (IND3843 and IND405), Evonik (INFINAM ST 6100), and BASF (Ultracur3D RG 3280).

The approved rigid, high-heat, and castable materials available on this system make it ideal for use with a variety of industrial, jewelry, and medical applications such as automotive and machine parts, aerospace components, housings, connectors, jigs and fixtures, microfluidic devices, castable jewelry patterns, short-run molds, fluid ducts, and prosthetics.

To learn more about the ETEC Pro XL, visit TeamDM.com/ETEC_ProXL_Specs.

The Benefits of DLP Printing

ETEC Pro XL is a DLP printing system, a form of 3D printing photopolymers that originated in 2002 with the EnvisionTEC Perfactory, the base platform of the ETEC Pro XL.

DLP delivers both high speed and quality by harnessing the power of a high-definition projector to rapidly flash and cure one layer of resin at a time using a theater-quality DLP chip. Because projectors expose light in pixels, the brightness of each pixel can be controlled individually. That allows for curing of each pixel to different depths or volumetric pixels, also known as voxels. The ability to control each voxel dramatically improves the accuracy and surface quality of 3D printed parts, especially when paired with custom optics and specific light wavelengths.

The ETEC Pro XL features a 4K UHD projector powered by an industrial DLP chip below the print vat. Dual linear slides for the moving build plate ensure a high accuracy print across the entire print bed by maintaining a parallel build environment. Depending on the material being processed, layer thicknesses down to 25 micron can be achieved. Custom optics and a premium 385 wavelength for superior curing, are just some of the upgrades offered in this new system. Desktop Metal acquired EnvisionTEC and its DLP technology in 2021.

To learn more about 3D printing with DLP technology, visit TeamDM.com/DLP_Benefits.

About Desktop Metal

Desktop Metal is driving Additive Manufacturing 2.0, a new era of on-demand, digital mass production of industrial, medical, and consumer products. Their innovative 3D printers, materials, and software deliver the speed, cost, and part quality required for this transformation. We’re the original inventors and world leaders of the 3D printing methods we believe will empower this shift, binder jetting and digital light processing. Today, their systems print metal, polymer, sand and other ceramics, as well as foam and recycled wood. Manufacturers use our technology worldwide to save time and money, reduce waste, increase flexibility, and produce designs that solve the world’s toughest problems and enable once-impossible innovations.

For more information, visit www.desktopmetal.com.