3D Printer Manufacturers and Suppliers

3D Printing

3D Printing and 3D Printer Manufacturers has become a household term in recent years but the process, also referred to as Additive Manufacturing, has been around since the 1980s.

Originally referred to as Rapid Prototyping, the process was conceived to produce prototypes quickly, with minimal tooling and effort.

In recent years the technology has expanded beyond prototyping. The capabilities of 3D printers have improved to include the ability to print using more materials, such as metals and organics, and speed improvements which decrease print time. 3D printers have also become more accessible to a wider range of potential users in production levels but also smaller printers for personal use.

As with any additive manufacturing technology, a computer-aided design (CAD) file is needed. The additive manufacturing machine takes the file (assuming proper compatibility) and then constructs the model layer by layer. Advanced manufacturing technology is a critical part of the Industry 4.0 initiative. This initiative defines the next generation of smart factories. The use of 3D printing will continue to expand in the years to come, which means products will be produced with greater customization while simultaneously lowering costs. Here is a list of the top 3D printer manufacturers and suppliers:

Top mid-sized Manufacturers of 3D printers in U.S. and Canada

Formlabs – Manufacturer of Stereolithographic and SLS (selective laser sintering) 3D printers for industries such as healthcare, dentistry, manufacturing and engineering. They offer supporting accessories and can configure work cells to replicate repetitive processes.

SLM Solutions – Provides a line of selective laser melting systems in different footprints and laser power levels for 3D printing metals. They also provide metal powders including stainless and tool steel, aluminum, and nickel alloys for use in industries such as automotive, transportation, aerospace, and consumer goods.

Ultimaker – this manufactures and sells a line of 3D printers that cover a range of build volumes and layer resolutions with nozzle sizes from 0.25 mm to 0.8 mm. They are compatible with standard materials including PLA, CPE, Nylon, TPU thermoplastic elastomer, and ABS.

Sciaky – leading provider of electron beam additive manufacturing technology and solutions. The 3D printers are capable of the fastest 3D printing using metal materials. Sciaky also supplies Arc Welding and Electron Beam Welding Systems in multiple chamber sizes.

Solidscape – manufactures and sells high precision 3D wax pattern printers for mold-making and lost-wax casting/investment casting applications. In addition to the 3D printer lines, Solidscape offers printer wax materials capable of generating castable wax models offering fine detail and complex geometries.

AON3D – based in Canada, they manufacture the AON-M2 Industrial 3D printer that supports printing in a variety of plastics, including chemically resistant and high strength plastic materials. These include PEEK (polyether ether ketone), PEI (polyetherimide), ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), Polycarbonate, Nylon, and PU (thermoplastic polyurethane). The key features include a large build volume, liquid cooled stepper motors and hot end components, and dual toolheads.

Prodways – a supplier of industrial 3D printers for both rapid prototyping and mass production of plastic or ceramic parts. Printer technologies include Plastic Laser Sintering, Plastic Digital Laser Processing (DLP), and Ceramic Digital Laser Processing. Industries served include Automotive, Dental, Aerospace & Defense, Medical, Architectural, and Consumer markets.

Airwolf 3D – based in Costa Mesa, CA and features polycarbonate 3D printers with both single and dual extrusion capability for both small and large footprints. The supplier also provides a full selection of printing filaments and printer nozzles.

Top 3D Printer Suppliers publicly traded in the U.S.

General Electric – GE Additive is a division of General Electric which focuses on the production of 3D printers, 3D printing materials, and consultation in the process of Additive Manufacturing. GE produces Direct Metal Laser Melting Machines and Electron beam Melting machines.

HP Inc. – HP has been expanding into the 3D printing manufacturing space with HP Jet Fusion 3D printers. This type of 3D printer uses Laser Jet binding to create parts.

Autodesk – Autodesk specializes in the production of 3D modeling software such as AutoCad and Revit. In addition, Autodesk temporarily produced an open source production quality 3D printer called Ember.

Stratasys – manufacturers 3D printers which utilize Stereolithography. Stratasys also produces 3D printers for the Dental industry.

3D Systems Corp. – manufacturers 3D printers for use with both metal and plastic materials. Other types of printers produced are Full Color, Metal Casting, and Dental.

Protolabs – produces 3D printers that use a variety of additive manufacturing technology such as, Selective Laser Sintering, Multi Jet Fusion, and Stereolithography.

ExOne – produces printers for production, prototyping, and research purposes. ExOne production printers are among the largest systems available for industrial grade material.

3D Printer Manufacturers are continuing to advance and expand in scope.