Metal 3D printers in 2022: a comprehensive guide (Part 1)
What is 3D metal printing? This guide covers the basics of metal additive manufacturing, which metal 3D printer options exist today, how metal 3D printers work, which metals can be 3D printed, and more.
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xact Metal | XM200C | 127 × 127 × 127 mm | United States | $ 65,000 | Quote |
| Additec | uPrinter | 160 × 120 × 450 mm | Germany | $ 90,000 | Quote |
| Markforged | Metal X (Gen 2) | 300 × 220 × 180 mm | United States | Quote | |
| Coherent | CREATOR | – | Germany | $ 100,000 | Quote |
| Desktop Metal | Studio 2 | 300 × 200 × 200 mm | United States | $ 110,000 | Quote |
| Pollen AM | Pam Series MC | ⌀ 300 x 300 mm | France | $ 140,000 | Quote |
| TRUMPF | TruPrint 1000 | 100 × 100 × 100 mm | Germany | $ 170,000 | Quote |
| Rapidia | Metal 3D printer | 200 × 280 × 200 mm | Canada | $ 185,000 | Quote |
| Formalloy | L-Series | 1000 × 1000 × 1000 mm | United States | $ 200,000 | Quote |
3D Systems
 |
DMP Flex 100 | 100 × 100 × 80 mm | United States | $ 245,000 | Quote |
| EOS | EOS M 100 | 100 × 100 × 95 mm | Germany | $ 350,000 | Quote |
| SISMA | EVEMET 200 | ⌀ 200 x 200 mm | Italy | $ 350,000 | Quote |
| XJet | Carmel 700M | 501 × 140 × 200 mm | Israel | $ 599,000 | Quote |
| Desktop Metal | Production System P-1 | 200 × 100 × 40 mm | United States | upon request | Quote |
| Digital Metal | DM P2500 | 203 × 180 × 69 mm | Sweden | upon request | Quote |
| GE Additive | Arcam EBM Spectra L | 350 × 350 × 430 mm | United States | upon request | Quote |
| GE Additive | M2 Series 5 | 250 × 250 × 350 mm | United States | upon request | Quote |
| Renishaw | RenAM 500E | 245 × 245 × 335 mm | United Kingdom | upon request | Quote |
| SPEE3D | LIGHTSPEE3D | 300 × 300 × 300 mm | Australia | upon request | Quote |
| TRIDITIVE | AMCELL | 220 × 330 mm | Spain | upon request | Quote |
| Velo3D | Sapphire | ⌀ 315 x 1000 mm | United States | upon request | Quote |
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.
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.
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.
Studio 2
By Desktop Metal
| Country | United States |
| Build size | 300 × 200 × 200 mm |
| Technology | Extrusion |
| Price | $ 110,000 |
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.
Metal X (Gen 2)
| Country | United States |
| Build size | 300 × 220 × 180 mm |
| Technology | Extrusion |
| Price | Quote |
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 (H13, A2, D2 tool steels, 316L stainless steel) as well as Inconel, Copper, and Titanium.
Metal 3D printer
| Country | Canada |
| Build size | 200 × 280 × 200 mm |
| Technology | Extrusion |
| Price | $ 185,000 |
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.
Pam Series MC
| Country | France |
| Build size | ⌀ 300 x 300 mm |
| Technology | Extrusion |
| Price | $ 140,000 |
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”.
AMCELL
| Country | Spain |
| Build size | 220 × 330 mm |
| Technology | Extrusion |
| Price | upon request |
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®.
(To be Continued…)
