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2019 Enterprise Metal 3D Printer of the Year: The Wildcard Update

The 2019 3D Printing Industry Awards shortlists have now been open to the public for over 5 weeks. In that time they have amassed over 42,000 votes. Split between multiple categories, including machinery, aerospace, materials, software and research, these awards represent the largest annual survey of the additive manufacturing industry. 

However, the shortlists aren’t exhaustive – each includes an “other” submission box. This is for companies, products and others who are not currently on the shortlist – Wildcard entries that you think should have made the cut.

Celebrating metal additive manufacturing 

The Enterprise 3D Printer of the Year (Metals) award is for the leading metal additive manufacturing system of the year. 

Last year’s winner was the Studio System from Desktop Metal. The Boston based company has also made the 2019 shortlist in the same category. Other companies on the list this year are 3DEO, Additive Industries, Arcam, Aurora Labs, EOS, ExOne, Coherent, Renishaw and SLM Solutions. Now, with the Wildcard update, we explore the Other submissions that have been made be our readers.

A complex metal part the size of a fingertip 3D printed on the Studio System+. Photo via Desktop Metal.
A complex metal part the size of a fingertip 3D printed on the award winning Studio System+. Photo via Desktop Metal.

High competition from powder bed fusion

Powder bed fusion has been a staple of the 3D metal printing sector for years. As such, it remains a strong subset within Wildcard mentions for this category so far.

As a leading OEM, 3D Systems‘ range of metal 3D printers has been named by many readers. Through Other submissions, the entire range of Direct Metal Printing (DMP) machines from the company have been mentioned, including the new DMP Flex 350 and DMP Factory 350.

Already on the 2019 Innovation of the Year shortlist, China’s Farsoon Technologies has had each of its systems mentioned through the Wildcard option for Enterprise 3D Printer of the Year (Metals). The EOS M 300-4, a sibling to the shortlisted M400-4 also makes an appearance.  

Also named be readers are the Velo3D Sapphire, the EP-M250 from SHINING3D, the Mysint100 by SISMA, the PrimaPower Laser Next 2141, and Xact Metal’s XM200S system which was previously shortlisted in 2018.

The emergence of large scale metal 3D printing 

Built to produce large scale metal part, Wire + Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) has been coming into its own in recent years, with new competitors cropping up in various locations around the world.  With commercialization coming soon, the WAAM3D machine, developed in collaboration with Cranfield University has received a mention, as has the the product of the recently completed LASIMM project.

Also producing metal parts at scale is Chicago based Sciaky. One of the company’s range of Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing (EBAM) systems, the EBAM 110, has been put forward in this category.

There is also the wire arc based arc603 system from German metal 3D printer developer Gefertec.

The GEFERTEC 3DMP additive manufacturing process. Photo via GEFERTEC
The GEFERTEC 3DMP additive manufacturing process. Photo via GEFERTEC.

Joule, binder jet and ADAM methods

Falling outside of the categories listed above are a host of machines using new and developing metal 3D printing technologies.

From Digital Alloys, there is the Joule Printing system, already named by readers as an Innovation of the Year nominee. Likewise, Digital Metal’s High-Precision 3D metal printing technology is listed under Innovation of the Year, and the DM P2500 that delivers this method has also been noted for its potential as Enterprise 3D Printer of the Year.

Last, but not least, the Metal X from Massachusetts 3D printer manufacturer Markforged has been submitted for consideration. Combining material extrusion and sintering, this machine harnesses the company’s Atomic Diffusion Additive Manufacturing (ADAM) technology.

Sintering a 3D printed 17-4 stainless steel sprocket. Image via Markforged.
Sintering a 3D printed 17-4 stainless steel sprocket 3D printed on the Metal X. Image via Markforged.

If your metal 3D printer, or the ones you admire, have not made the shortlist submit a Wildcard entry now and spread the word. It is also time to make your votes for the names listed on this year’s shortlist.

All winners will be announced at the 2019 3D Printing Industry Awards gala dinner on Thursday June 6, 2019. Good luck and happy voting!

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Featured image shows  a Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) 3D printing in an EOS machine. Photo via EOS.