Best Metal 3D Printers for Industrial Production
Metal additive manufacturing has moved beyond prototyping into production. Aerospace, medical, and tooling industries are running metal AM 24/7. Here's what you need to know to enter this space.
Technology Overview
- L-PBF (Powder Bed Fusion): Highest precision, complex geometries, small to medium parts
- DED (Directed Energy Deposition): Larger parts, repair applications, hybrid machining
- Binder Jetting: Highest throughput, lower cost per part, post-sintering required
Is Metal AM Right for Your Application?
Metal 3D printing makes sense when at least one of these is true:
- Geometry: Internal channels, lattice structures, topology-optimized shapes impossible to machine
- Volume: Low volume (1-1000 parts) where tooling cost can't be amortized
- Lead time: Need functional metal parts in days, not weeks
- Material waste: Expensive materials (titanium, Inconel) where buy-to-fly ratio matters
If you're making 10,000+ simple parts from mild steel, traditional manufacturing likely wins.
Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF)
Also called SLM (Selective Laser Melting) or DMLS (Direct Metal Laser Sintering). This is the dominant technology for precision metal AM.
How It Works
A laser selectively melts thin layers (20-100µm) of metal powder. The build platform lowers, a recoater spreads fresh powder, and the process repeats. Build times are long—complex parts can take 20-100+ hours.
Key Players
- EOS: The pioneer, excellent materials database
- SLM Solutions: Multi-laser systems for speed
- TRUMPF: Precision optics, excellent support
- Concept Laser (GE): Aerospace-focused
- Renishaw: UK precision engineering heritage
Metal AM Systems in Our Database
Build Volume vs Speed Trade-offs
Larger build chambers allow bigger parts but don't proportionally increase throughput. Multi-laser systems (4-12 lasers) dramatically improve productivity but add complexity and cost.
| Class | Build Volume | Typical Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compact | ~100×100×100mm | $100-300K | Dental, jewelry, small medical |
| Mid-size | ~250×250×300mm | $300-600K | Aerospace components, tooling |
| Large | 400×400×400mm+ | $700K-1.5M+ | Large aerospace, automotive |
Material Considerations
Metal AM systems are often certified for specific powder materials:
- Stainless (316L, 17-4PH): General purpose, well-understood
- Titanium (Ti6Al4V): Aerospace, medical implants, requires inert atmosphere
- Inconel (718, 625): High-temp aerospace, energy
- Aluminum (AlSi10Mg): Lightweight structures, challenging to process
- Tool Steel (H13, Maraging): Conformal cooling inserts
Beyond the Machine: Total Cost of Ownership
The printer is often less than half the total investment:
- Powder handling: Sieving, storage, recycling systems
- Post-processing: Heat treatment furnaces, wire EDM for support removal, machining
- Quality: CT scanning, metallurgical analysis
- Facility: Inert gas supply, fire suppression, powder-safe HVAC
- Training: Design for AM, parameter development, powder metallurgy
Getting Started: Recommendations by Industry
Aerospace
Go with established players (EOS, SLM Solutions, GE/Concept Laser) with mature qualification pathways. AS9100 compatibility and material traceability are critical.
Medical/Dental
EOS and 3D Systems dominate with FDA/CE-cleared materials and workflows. Desktop Metal and HP entering with lower-cost binder jetting options.
Tooling & Mold Making
Conformal cooling channels are the killer app. TRUMPF and DMG MORI offer hybrid machines combining AM with 5-axis milling in one setup.
Explore Additive Manufacturing
Browse our database of metal 3D printing and additive manufacturing systems.
View All Metal AM Systems →