3D Platforms

Pivot AM launches eBay-style auction site for used 3D printing equipment

Pivot AM Service, a US provider of refurbished 3D printing equipment and services, has launched a new specialist auction site for the buying and selling of used professional 3D printing hardware. 

Named Pivot AM Auctions, the site can be compared to a sort of eBay for 3D printing where users can register for a free account and place live bids on a range of industrial additive manufacturing equipment.

In a video posted on LinkedIn, Pivot AM Founder and General Manager Dennis Fogle said the service hopes to bring greater transparency to the 3D printing sector regarding the selling of used industrial equipment, and overcome sourcing challenges as a result of machines being spread across multiple sites.

He said: “We are not CNC, we are not paper printers, we are additive, and we finally have our own space.”

Used 3D printing services

Pivot AM offers a range of repair and maintenance services for production 3D printing equipment from its North American offices, and specializes in preventative maintenance for SLA and FDM machines. The company also sells new and refurbished printers across all 3D printing technologies and can refurbish and upgrade used equipment itself. 

Now, the firm has expanded its offering to create a space specifically for the additive manufacturing sector to more easily buy and sell used industrial and professional 3D printing hardware.

Similar ventures have been undertaken in the past by the likes of Multistation, which launched an online marketplace for certified pre-owned 3D printers back in 2017, and Uzata, which opened a dedicated online service for used industrial 3D printing equipment even earlier, in 2015. However, Pivot AM’s new site differs from such marketplaces by offering buyers the opportunity to bid on items accumulatively.

According to Fogle, Pivot AM’s auction service seeks to bring greater transparency to the 3D printing sphere by allowing sellers to “list equipment with an outfit that understands equipment”, while buyers can purchase used equipment safe in the knowledge that it has been “properly represented”. 

The service will further aim to overcome challenges of inadequate representation and machines being spread across multiple sites, in order to deliver a more efficient, intelligent and centralized buying process for used industrial equipment. 

A selection of used 3D printers currently listed on the Pivot AM Auction site. Image via Pivot AM.
A selection of used 3D printers currently listed on the Pivot AM Auction site. Image via Pivot AM.

Pivot AM Auction

Those looking to offload their used additive manufacturing equipment can list their items for $250 on the Pivot AM Auction site, with an 8 percent buyer’s premium added on top of the purchase price. 

Prospective buyers can register for a free account on the website that allows them to browse auctions and category pages for available equipment, and to search for specific items. Buyers can place a bid or buy an item prior to the sale using the site’s “Buy It Now” function. 

During Live Bidding, buyers can monitor the auctions and place live bids on pieces scheduled to end at a designated time. Bidders also have the opportunity to place a “Max Bid” – the highest amount they are willing to bid – on an item, whereby Pivot AM Auctions will place bids on a buyer’s behalf to ensure they remain the highest bidder until the max bid is met.

After an auction has concluded, the winning bidder and buyer will be notified and provided with each other’s information once the transaction is complete. The two parties can then contact each other to decide shipping and other logistics of the item. 

There are currently several SLA and FDM machines, including 3D printers and post-processing equipment, listed on the site.

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Featured image shows a selection of used 3D printers currently listed on the Pivot AM Auction site. Image via Pivot AM.

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