Desktop Metal

Desktop Metal
Name	Desktop Metal
Type	Public
Industry	Additive manufacturing
Founded	2015
Founders	Ric Fulop, Jonah Myerberg, Ely Sachs, Yet-Ming Chiang
Headquarters	Burlington, Massachusetts, United States
Key people	Ric Fulop (CEO), John Hart (former advisor)
Products	Metal 3D printers, bound metal systems, printing powders
Revenue	(varies)
Employees	(varies)

Desktop Metal is a company in the additive manufacturing sector that developed systems for producing metal parts using powder metallurgy and binder-jetting approaches. The firm emerged amid a wave of startups and incumbents in 3D printing, competing with manufacturers and research institutions across North America, Europe, and Asia. It has engaged with industrial partners, academic laboratories, and government agencies to accelerate adoption of metal additive processes in aerospace, automotive, healthcare, and tooling sectors.

History

Founded in 2015 by entrepreneurs and academics tied to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the company launched during a period of intensified interest in additive manufacturing alongside firms such as Stratasys, 3D Systems, EOS GmbH, and SLM Solutions. Early coverage compared its ambitions to legacy manufacturers including General Electric and Siemens, while venture rounds attracted investors associated with Kleiner Perkins, New Enterprise Associates, and GV (venture capital firm). The company announced partnerships with corporations like Ford Motor Company, BMW, Hewlett Packard, and research collaborations with institutions such as Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Carnegie Mellon University. Strategic moves included acquisitions and public listings comparable to transactions seen at Arcam AB and ExOne. Regulatory and procurement dialogues placed it in conversations with agencies like the U.S. Department of Defense and standards bodies such as ASTM International.

Products and Technologies

The product lineup drew attention for systems often contrasted with technologies from Arcam AB, Renishaw plc, Trumpf, and HP Inc.. Flagship offerings targeted different market segments: office-friendly, low-noise systems tailored for design studios and engineering groups; high-throughput platforms aimed at production foundries; and lab-scale machines suitable for universities like MIT, Stanford University, and University of Cambridge. Material development referenced powders and feedstocks from suppliers similar to Praxair, Sandvik Materials Technology, and ArcelorMittal. Software and process control integrated workflows akin to platforms developed by Autodesk, Siemens PLM Software, and PTC (company). Certifications and qualification efforts echoed programs at NASA, Rolls-Royce Holdings, and Airbus.

Manufacturing Process

The company’s approaches included binder-jetting, powder handling, and sintering sequences related to processes used by firms such as ExOne and research in laboratories at Fraunhofer Society. Workflows required safety and material standards comparable to those enforced by Occupational Safety and Health Administration laboratories and testing protocols used by National Institute of Standards and Technology. Post-processing steps often paralleled metallurgical practices from foundries like Alcoa and heat-treatment regimes seen at suppliers such as Timken Company. Quality control invoked nondestructive testing techniques familiar from General Electric aviation programs and metrology instruments by Hexagon AB and ZEISS.

Applications

Targeted sectors included Aerospace suppliers, Automotive manufacturers, Medical device companies, and Consumer Electronics firms. Use cases ranged from prototyping activities at design firms working with IDEO and Frog Design to production components for companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Toyota, and BMW Group. Medical collaborations mirrored projects at hospitals such as Mayo Clinic and research centers like Johns Hopkins University. Tooling and molds were delivered to manufacturers similar to Magellan Aerospace and contract manufacturers like Jabil. Specialized applications intersected with projects funded by entities such as the National Science Foundation and innovation programs at DARPA.

Business and Financials

The company’s financing trajectory involved venture capital rounds and interactions with public markets similar to those experienced by Carbon3D and Formlabs. Partnerships and procurement deals referenced large industrial buyers including Ford Motor Company, GE Aviation, and Siemens Energy. Competitive dynamics placed it against established suppliers like Arconic and emerging firms such as Markforged. Supply chain considerations echoed issues faced by multinational manufacturers during disruptions affecting companies like Tesla, Inc. and Apple Inc.. Financial reporting, investor relations, and governance compared to practices at listed technology firms including NVIDIA Corporation and Intel Corporation.

Research and Development

R&D activities connected with academic groups at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, University of Michigan, and Northwestern University. Collaborative projects referenced materials science research parallel to studies at MIT Media Lab, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories. Patent portfolios and innovation strategies followed patterns established by industrial research organizations such as Bell Labs and corporate labs at IBM. Conferences and dissemination channels included presentations at events like the International Conference on Additive Manufacturing, sessions hosted by SME (society), and papers appearing in journals associated with Elsevier and Springer Nature.

Category:Additive manufacturing companies