STS Additive Manufacturing invests in Markforged's Metal X.
STS Additive Manufacturing, a Wisconsin-based service provider, has announced its investment in Markforged’s Metal X 3D printing system.
The additive manufacturing service, a division of STS Technical Design, purchased the machine through Big Systems, a Markforged reseller, becoming one of the first companies in the United States to have a Metal X installed. STS also utilises the Boston vendor’s Mark Two composite printer to cater for its customers.
STS has moved to adopt Markforged’s metal offering to enhance the service it offers and tackle a wider range of customer demands. The Metal X was launched at CES in 2017, and in recent months has begun shipping to customers around the world after Markforged was cleared of IP infringement in a case brought forward by Desktop Metal earlier this year. The system boasts a 300 x 220 x 180 mm build volume, will soon support tool steel, aluminium, Inconel, and titanium materials in addition to the 17-4 stainless steel currently available, and is supplemented by sintering and washing stations for the post-processing of parts.
With the machine installed and ready to serve, STS is looking forward to welcoming orders, and continuing to work with Markforged and Big Systems.
“The Markforged Metal X printer is worth getting excited about,” commented Rich Ciampa, Director of Design Services and Additive Manufacturing at STS Technical Design. “Our customers can initially have their parts printed in 17-4PH stainless steel, with H-13 tool steel and other materials coming online in the months ahead. What’s even more exciting is that this new partnership with Big Systems and Markforged allows STS Additive Manufacturing to become one of the first companies in America to offer this new technology on a large scale.”
Having gone through Big Systems to acquire the metal 3D printing capabilities, the reseller will demonstrate the machine’s potential and make its connections aware of STS’s service.
“To be able to present the amazing metal 3D printing capabilities on the new Markforged Metal X 3D printer to our customers is an opportunity too good to pass up,” added Joe Jones, President and Owner of Big Systems. “We’ve been able to offer 3D printing solutions for years now, and to be able to add metal printing into the mix, particularly metal 3D printing with superior quality at affordable prices, I’d say this is a complete game-changer.”
