Shapeways, Desktop Metal Expand Partnership for Additive Manufacturing Services

Shapeways and Desktop Metal are expanding their partnership to offer manufacturing and engineering teams flexibility and seamless access to their 3D printing services. The strategic partnership was developed in early 2021, and now Shapeways is expanding its Desktop Metal system capacity and capabilities by providing customers access to these solutions at Shapeways’ ISO-9001 manufacturing facilities in both Long Island City, New York, and Eindhoven, Netherlands.

In addition, Desktop Metal plans to leverage Shapeways’ manufacturing capabilities and purpose-built software platform, Otto, to provide its customers with instant access to fully digitized, end-to-end 3D printing workflows.

“For customers starting their digital manufacturing journeys who may not be ready to purchase equipment of their own, Shapeways will offer instant access to Desktop Metal’s comprehensive portfolio of high-speed, AM 2.0 printing platforms and rich materials library, enabling them to benefit from expedited production, reduced costs and flexible, overflow manufacturing capacity as dictated by growing business demands,” says Ric Fulop, Desktop Metal founder and CEO.

Shapeways is investing in and deploying a portfolio of Desktop Metal solutions — including Studio System, Shop System, Production System, Fiber and RAM technology as well as a variety of EnvisionTEC 3D photopolymer printing solutions — to expand its global manufacturing footprint across metals, elastomers, polymers, composites and digital casting applications. These printing solutions are said to offer industrial customers a means to leverage 3D printing capacity on-demand to fuel business growth while balancing operating and capital expenditures.

The full rollout of these printing solutions on Shapeways’ digital manufacturing platform will occur through early 2022, and additional Desktop Metal offerings will be available in the future. Shapeways also intends to add technology from other industry partners over time, including an extended suite of postprocessing and finishing options.