Polish 3D printer manufacturer Sinterit has raised approximately $1.85 million (PLN 7.5 million or €1.73 million) in a recent share issue underwritten by existing shareholders.
The company will leverage the new funds to increase marketing spend, improve manufacturing productivity, and develop a new generation of 3D printers. The new Sinterit systems will reportedly be based on the laser sintering of plastics, also known as selective laser sintering (SLS).
According to Sinterit CEO Albert Klein, “Lately, confidence in the future of 3D printer manufacturers has waned.” He added that Sinterit does not share this pessimistic outlook, noting that the market for additive manufacturing technology is consolidating.
Klein believes “Affordable integrated selective laser sintering systems will have a place in this market and so will Sinterit.”
Sinterit to extend SLS 3D printer portfolio
Based in Krakow, Poland, Sinterit specializes in the development of compact, easy-to-use SLS 3D printers. Using its new funding, Sinterit plans to expand its existing SLS 3D printer lineup.
Since launching in 2014, the company has built a broad additive manufacturing technology portfolio. The company launched its first entry-level Lisa SLS 3D printer in 2016, followed by the more advanced Lisa PRO model in 2018.
Sinterit entered the industrial 3D printing market in 2021 with its New Industrial Laser Sintering (NILS) 480 system. This large-format SLS 3D printer is targeted to end-use production applications and high-volume prototyping. The company claims that the NILS 480 can enable customers to achieve a return on investment in just 40 days.
The company has also established a range of peripheral products, designed to optimize the Sinterir customer experience. This includes its Studio design software, an extended end-to-end hardware offering and a lineup of proprietary 3D printer materials.
The latest addition to this product portfolio is the Lisa X, a high-speed SLS 3D printer said to be “ten times faster” than the Lisa Pro. Launched at Formnext 2021, it can sinter PA12 at up to 14 mm/h and process a full print bed in 30 hours.
Advertised as an “industrial-grade” system, the Lisa X boasts a 130 x 170 x 330 mm build volume and is targeted to designers wishing to access an accelerated, more flexible and efficient production process. This allows for more iterations, enabling products to be launched to market sooner.
FIT Additive Manufacturing Group, a German 3D printing service provider, is one of Sinterit’s main shareholders. The company’s, CEO Carl Fruth stated that FIT uses the Lisa X to support its additive manufacturing operations.
“Its reliable performance and open system allow us to test materials and build parameters,” he explained. “I believe this machine is therefore unique in the market for small SLS systems. Technology-oriented users like us really have no other choice.”
3D printing companies raise funds
Sinterit is the latest 3D printing firm to attract investment. Earlier this year, Rapid Liquid Print (RLP), a 3D printing spin-off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), raised $7 million in series A funding.
The company’s novel gel-dispensing technology enables soft, pliable, and large-scale parts to be produced in minutes. RLP’s technology is being leveraged to 3D print parts for medical, automotive and consumer goods customers. The firm is using its new capital to scale its production capabilities, expand its employee base, and build new business areas.
Elsewhere, Metal 3D printer manufacturer Mantle recently raised $20 million in a Series C funding round. This latest financing brings the company’s total funding to $61.5 million, and will reportedly support the company’s market expansion. It hopes to scale manufacturing to meet increasing demand and develop new capabilities and materials.
Optimized for molding and toolmaking applications, Mantle’s metal 3D printers offer automation to accelerate production. General Pattern has used this technology to save 3.5 weeks of lead time and reduce the active hours of toolmaker time to just four. Similarly, Westminster Tool uses Mantle 3D printers to quickly produce complex mold inserts, reducing traditional lead times by 50%.
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Featured image shows a scaled panoramic shot of Sinterit’s Lisa X at an industry trade show. Photo via Sinterit.
