AIM3D, a German developer of multi-material 3D printers, is unveiling a new generation of 3D pellet printing systems and software tools at Formnext 2025. The company’s latest developments include the Voxelfill slicer plug-in, produced in collaboration with Danish software firm Create it REAL, and a High-Performance Upgrade for its ExAM 255 and ExAM 510 systems. Together, these releases mark a significant advancement in mechanical strength and efficiency for pellet-based additive manufacturing. The company is also entering the U.S. market with new system installations at major research and industrial facilities.
The Rostock-based firm’s 2025 R&D focused on improving the structural integrity and throughput of components produced through its Fused Granulate Modelling (FGM) process. Central to this effort is its patented Voxelfill technology, which addresses anisotropic weakness in 3D-printed parts by filling components volumetrically rather than layer by layer. In testing, Voxelfill reduced anisotropy in PETG samples with 30 percent fiberglass reinforcement from 56.7 percent to 13.5 percent, reaching tensile strengths close to those achieved through injection molding. To extend the method’s availability beyond its own systems, Create it REAL integrated Voxelfill into its Strong Print slicer concept within the REALvision Pro software. This plug-in framework combines Voxelfill with other strength-enhancing options and is offered under a monthly license of €4.38 to encourage wide adoption across both industrial and consumer markets.
Clemens Lieberwirth, Chief Technology Officer at AIM3D, said the new High-Performance Upgrade bridges the remaining performance gap between filament and pellet systems. “The upgrade comprises two optimization modules,” he explained. “‘Input Shaping’ acts as a filter on axis acceleration, improving part precision at higher travel speeds, while ‘Extruder Pressure Control’ enhances dosing accuracy and surface quality.” Both modules are available for new and existing systems. The update enables smoother edge definition and higher print speeds by reducing mechanical oscillation during movement.
These improvements have already been demonstrated by Malping GmbH, a 3D printing service provider based in Neuhausen auf den Fildern, Germany. The company specializes in high-performance polymers such as PEEK and PEEK-CF and operates an ExAM 510 system from AIM3D. Malping’s CEO, materials scientist Dr. Bastian Gaedike, emphasized the production benefits of the new upgrades: “Material cost advantages combined with the continuous software and hardware development of pellet printers create major levers for process stability, component quality, and build rates.”
AIM3D has also achieved its first sales in the United States, entering a market traditionally dominated by filament-based 3D printers. An ExAM 255 was installed at the Fraunhofer USA Center Midwest in Michigan, while another unit went to the Cal Poly Pomona Foundation in California. A larger ExAM 510 system is scheduled for delivery to an automotive manufacturer in Detroit. Dr. Vincent Morrison, CEO of AIM3D, said, “The size and innovative strength of U.S. industry in the automotive, aerospace, defense, and energy sectors promise high growth potential for the 3D pellet printing strategy.”
Composite Extrusion Modelling (CEM), the foundation of AIM3D’s technology, combines aspects of fused deposition modeling with metal injection molding. The process uses certified injection-molding pellets instead of filaments, allowing up to twenty-fold faster build rates and as much as 96 % lower material costs.
Voxelfill, developed as part of this extrusion approach, applies a two-stage method in which parts are built volumetrically using “voxels,” or three-dimensional volume elements, instead of thin layers. The system first creates a structured grid before filling offset cavities in a brick-bond pattern, eliminating weak planes along the Z-axis.
Dr. Morrison said the company’s next steps include expanding system capabilities and improving thermal management. Starting in early 2026, all new ExAM 255 printers will feature a high-temperature chamber capable of reaching 120 °C, suitable for processing polymers such as PA6 and PPS GF40. The upgrade will also be retrofittable for existing machines. In parallel, AIM3D is developing an advanced extrusion-control system to further enhance surface quality and part density, forming the basis for automated parameter optimization and process monitoring. Morrison noted that pellet printers typically reach return on investment within nine months, driven by low material costs and high throughput.
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Featured image shows REALvision Pro slicer interface featuring AIM3D’s Voxelfill plug-in. Photo via AIM3D.
