More Canadian manufacturers will have access to metal 3D printing, thanks to Javelin Technologies and Desktop Metal

Canadian engineers and manufacturers have long been wishing for an affordable 3D printer that can safely produce metal prototypes and parts right in the office or on the shop floor.

Javelin Technologies, known across Canada as a top reseller for SOLIDWORKS software and the full range of Stratasys 3D printers, has just announced that it will add Desktop Metal 3D printing systems to its additive manufacturing offerings.

Metal 3D Printed Part

“The Desktop Metal team is an impressive collection of industry experts who set out to overcome the limitations of traditional metal 3D printing,” said Ted Lee, co-managing director for Javelin. “The resulting system is safer to operate, more user-friendly, far more compact, and much less expensive. For our customers, that’s a game changer. No doubt about it.”

Desktop Metal co-founders (front left to right: CEO Ric Fulop, A. John Hart, Jonah Myerberg; standing left to right: Yet Ming-Chiang, Chris Schuh, Ely Sachs, Rick Chin)

To date, printing in metal has required an explosion proof room, large outdoor argon gas tanks, respirators, special power requirements, and specialized operators. The printer, plus the required post-processing equipment and facility improvements, usually required an investment beyond seven figures. The Desktop Metal Studio System™, the first office-friendly metal 3D printing system, is up to 10 times less expensive than comparable laser-based systems. The Studio System is an end-to-end solution, including printer, debinder, and furnace.

Design Metal Studio System is the world’s first affordable, office-friendly metal 3D printing system.

Lee said Javelin’s additive manufacturing experts have always immersed themselves in the latest and greatest in the wider industry to bring top knowledge and products to their customers. He adds that those customers regularly ask about printing in metal, particularly those working in sectors such as automotive, aerospace, and oil and gas.

“Our customers have been waiting for this. They need it, they want it, but they’ve never been able to bring it in house. Now, with the Studio System, all they need is power and an internet connection. We exist to help our customers work smarter and give them competitive advantage. This is a step beyond. This will transform the way they make things.”

Metal 3D Printing Systems for two different applications

Earlier this year, Desktop Metal introduced two new metal 3D printing systems, covering the full production life cycle – from prototyping to mass production. The Studio System will be available to Canadian customers in mid-2018 and is designed for rapid prototyping and low volume production. The Production System is the first metal 3D printing system for mass production of high resolution metal parts, delivering the speed, accuracy, and per-part cost needed to compete with traditional manufacturing.

The Desktop Metal Production System is the first metal 3D printing system for high resolution, high throughput metal 3D printing.

The Studio printer shapes parts layer by layer by heating and extruding bound metal rods, similar to a plastic FDM (fused deposition modeling) printer. The part is then placed in the debinder, where the primary binder is removed. The furnace sinters the part to temperatures near melting, producing a metal part with properties comparable to wrought metal. The Studio System supports a variety of alloys, including stainless steels, copper, and superalloys.

Desktop Metal’s Studio System includes a fully-automated, office-friendly sintering furnace with fast cycle times and a peak temperature of 1400°C, allowing for the sintering of a wide variety of materials.