3D printing and the stock market - 3D Printing: The Basics and Beyond - page 82

3D printing system manufacturers
A
Airwolf : California-based startup which produces low-cost desktop Cartesian FDM printers.
The printers were originally based on the RepRap printers. Airwolf has earned a reputation
on fast prints and enabling of printing materials like polycarbonate and Nylon.
Arburg : Arburg is a German giant in plastic injection molding machines. Arburg launched
its first 3D printer in the end of 2013. It is the first printer using standard plastic granules,
hence radically reducing material costs. Another technology feature is that the object is
moving while the nozzle remains still in the printing process. Arburg calls its technology
AKF (Arburg Kunststoff Freiformen) which allows for multi-material choice of standard
thermoplastics and combining of two materials in the same piece enabled by a dual-nozzle.
Asiga : This small American startup introduced its Freeform Pico printer at Euromold in
2011. Their printers are based on DLP technology and are aimed at the professional market
for jewelry, dental and hearing aid applications.
B
Beam : French Beam is a spin-off company of transfer center Irepa Laser. In 2009 the
company started to develop a direct metal deposition technology which they have branded
CLAD.
Beijing Longyuan : Beijing Longyuan is focused on the industrial domestic market. BL pro-
duces Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D printing machines for plastic, sand and wax as
well as providing related materials.
Beijing Tiertime : Beijing Tiertime is the company behind the low-cost plastic printer UP!.
BT calls its technology Melted and Extruded Modeling (MEM) but it is just another word
for the usual FDM technique. BT also markets a few more expensive plastic printers for the
professional market. The UP! printer hardware is licensed to Afinia in the US and sold un-
der Afinias brand name. Afinia was sued by Stratasys in the fall of 2013 for infringement on
patent.
Beeverycreative : This is the Portuguese company behind the Beethefirst FDM printer,
which is mainly known for its sleek design.