Case Study: Shapeways achieves high-volume, versatile metal 3D printing and material innovation with ExOne

A Metal 3D Printing Partnership for 10 Years and Counting

Shapeways, the world’s leading 3D printing marketplace, faced the challenge of reliably producing a huge variety of metal parts and consumer products at scale—from industrial components to art and tabletop gaming pieces. To meet diverse geometries, finishes and cost targets, Shapeways partnered with ExOne and its binder-jet metal 3D printers (including the R2, M-Flex, Innovent+ and newer X1 25PRO) to expand capacity and material options.

ExOne’s binder-jet systems enabled Shapeways to produce nearly 10% of its more than 10 million printed parts in stainless steel, using popular 420 stainless infiltrated with bronze and moving toward dense single-alloy 316L, 304L and 17‑4PH on the Innovent+ and X1 25PRO. The ongoing ExOne–Shapeways collaboration drives machine and process improvements through continuous production feedback, increases material offerings and throughput, and lets Shapeways scale complex, high-volume metal printing for both industrial and consumer markets.

ShapeWays

Tim Pierce

VP of Metal Commercial Products