The dream of metal 3D printing on your desktop (safely) may be about to be realized.

Desktop Metal launched two 3D printing systems it claims covers the full product lifecycle — from prototyping to mass production–the DM Studio and DM Production systems.

The DM Studio is an office-friendly metal 3D printing system. Starting at $49,900, is has a microwave-enhanced sintering furnace for building complex, even impossible geometries of metal 3D printed parts in an engineer’s office or on the shop floor.

DM Studio does not use hazardous powders,  lasers or cutting tools to operate.  Instead this printer uses Bound Metal Deposition (BMD), a proprietary process, to make accurate and repeatable parts, similar to extrusion 3D printing.

This system uses cloud-based software to streamline the workflow, enabling engineers to 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.

DM Studio System supports hundreds of different metal alloys — the same metals used to mass produce parts can now be used to prototype them.

The DM Production System uses proprietary Single Pass Jetting (SPJ) technology to build parts “100 times faster than today’s laser-based additive manufacturing systems.”

Single Pass Jetting is bi-directional. All the necessary steps for printing are done so that whenever there is movement, there is printing. Two full-width print bars contain more than 32,000 jets that work in conjunction with powder spreaders to spread powder and print in a single quick pass across the build area, jetting millions of droplets per second.

The DM Studio System is available to reserve in May with shipping beginning in September 2017.  The Studio printer is available for $49,900 and the complete system, including printer, debinder, and furnace, is $120,000.  The DM Production System is available on reserve in May for shipping beginning in 2018.

Desktop Metal
desktopmetal.com