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3D Systems Buys Low-Cost SLS 3D Printer Maker WeMatter

3D Systems (NYSE: DDD) has acquired WeMatter, a Swedish startup that manufactures entry-level powder bed fusion (PBF) 3D printers. WeMatter came on the market in 2019 with its Gravity 3D printer, a polymer selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printer complete with vacuum cleaner, software and depowdering that can be purchased for a $59,000 to $125,000. Handy cartridges reduce mess, while the system is meant to be very accessible and easy to use.Get more news about china sls 3d printer,you can vist our website!

WeMatter´s market entry was potentially disruptive because it put a complete solution in between the Sinterit, Sintratec, and Formlabs entry-level PBF solutions but with lower prices than Chinese firms, such as Farsoon and EOS and 3D Systems´ offerings. Introducing a supremely well-segmented product into a fast-evolving market was always going to be difficult. PBF development is also hard, partially due to the need to work around a lot of carefully crafted patents and partially because the material science and physics is so much more incomprehensible it. WeMatter´s Gravity is a credible product though that could very well open the door to powder bed for someone who is loitering on the doorstep. Especially in combination with a leasing offering, the systems could be very affordable indeed.

I´ve long loved the idea of using a cluster of low-cost PBF printers as a manufacturing tool. WeMatter also claims that its PA 11 parts are stronger than competitors. The real star is the powder handling solution that is easy and less messy than alternatives though. This lets you use it in a semi-factory or maybe even an office environment. The Gravity Essential, Gravity Essential+, and Gravity Enterprise packages are also very complete solutions at different price points.

For 3D Systems, this is a logical extension to its current line up. The company can use the Gravity to do battle with Formlabs. Perhaps it would be logical for the firm to acquire either Sinterit or Sintratec so it has a desktop to industrial portfolio to keep the competition away from its core offering, while cross-selling increasingly high-value products to its installed base. Existing resellers would really benefit from a mature offering that can take powder bed from desk to industrial.

Having said that, entry-level PBF has not really exploded in demand, in part its the size of the companies attracted to the technology. People that want to make 5,000 of something a day often have a few grand a month to spare to lease an an HP machine or an EOS P110. Powder bed really shines when you want yield, tough parts with good detail, and you want to throw a lot of geometries at a process. This also corresponds well to the requirements of services or large corporates. Meanwhile the messiness of powder, as well as health risk has not been sufficiently assuaged in peoples minds for them to take the leap.