Feb 22, 2018 | By Tess
Hitch3DPrint, a Singapore-based startup, is looking to make metal 3D printing a whole lot more accessible to individuals and small companies. No, it hasn’t released a magically cheap metal 3D printer, but it has come up with a novel system that allows people to pool their metal 3D prints into one large print job.
Alex Liu, Hitch3DPrint’s founder, wants you to think of the system like an additive manufacturing version of hitchhiking. And indeed, there are some similarities. The idea behind the startup is to add many individual prints to a larger metal print job. Like how a hitchhiker is just looking to fill a spare seat in a car, Hitch3DPrint is aiming to utilize the full capacity of metal 3D printers by filling the build envelope.
“Hitch3DPrint recognizes that the high cost of metal 3D printing continues to be a major hurdle to industry adoption today,” said the company in a statement. “In general, there is spare capacity in most metal print jobs. For this reason, Hitch3DPrint has developed a program for users to hitch onto a metal print job at a highly attractive price point since no additional set-up cost is required.”
The process the startup lays out does seem remarkably simple. Users simply have to upload an .STL file to the online platform, choose the metal 3D printing technology they prefer (laser melting or electron beam melting) and their desired metal material, and Hitch3DPrint will generate an instant quote.
The Singapore startup says that with over 4,000 Powder Bed Fusion metal 3D printers operating globally, it can usually promise its clients a “hitch” within three days. Presumably, the company aims to provide local additive manufacturing, as it has partners across the globe. Hitch3DPrint also ensures free delivery for metal 3D printed parts.
Ultimately, Liu says the goal of Hitch3DPrint, which was founded in 2017, is to accelerate the adoption of metal 3D printing by making it more accessible.
Posted in 3D Printing Service
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