As we mentioned, you don’t need to know anything about metal 3D printing to order a part, but it couldn’t hurt to familiarize yourself with the basics of the different methods and what they’re used for. Plus, if you’re in a specialized industry, such as medical equipment or aerospace, there are a few metal 3D printing companies that specialize in these areas. We haven’t included them in this guide. However, if you’re looking for 3D printing in precious metals, there’s Cooksongold; for medical implants and surgical tools, check out Tangible Solutions, Amnovis, and Zenith Technica; and for metal micro 3D printing, try Holo. Specialty on-demand manufacturers for aerospace, hypersonics, and defense include Beehive Industries, Sintavia, and Morf3D.

There are many ways to 3D print metal parts. Selecting which metal technology to use is a balance of needs. Your printing provider may ask you what your intended use of the part is to determine the best method, yet in some cases you upload your digital file yourself and select a method.

If you need a small metal prototype that won’t be put under extreme stress, low-cost metal extrusion (or metal FDM) might fit. If it’s an end-use auto part, metal laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) – also called SLM or DLSM – is the typical choice. If you need 1,000 metal parts, binder jetting would be a good option.

All of the current metal technologies have pros and cons when it comes to detail, size, strength, type of metal, cost, printing speed, and volume. Unfortunately, no method 3D prints super-strong parts quickly, cheaply, and perfectly, so pick your priorities. Your metal service provider is able to guide you through the technologies and explain your options but take a look at our individual metal technology guides linked below for a grounding in the various methods.

• Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), which is also called selective laser melting (SLM), is the most common type of metal 3D printing.
• Metal binder jetting is the second most common and prized for speed.
• Metal extrusion, which is also called fused deposition modeling (FDM) with metal filament or metal rods, is the most affordable.

Less frequently used metal 3D printing methods:

• Electron beam melting (EBM) is used in implants, aerospace, and defense applications, often with copper or titanium.
• Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) produces large metal parts for industry and oil & gas with a rough surface that often needs machining.
• Directed energy deposition (DED) is conducted with either an electron beam or a laser beam and is used for restoring or repairing worn or damaged metal parts.
• Cold spray is also used for metal repair and rapid fabrication of metal tools, often in the defense industry.
• Metal lithography and metal micro 3D printing are used in specialty industries.

The Marketplace of 3D Print Services

With dozens of service providers to choose from, you can spend a lot of time tracking down the best price and delivery options. Fortunately, there are a few marketplaces of 3D print services, such as Craftcloud, where you simply upload your 3D model and receive multiple quotes from suppliers from which you choose the best fit.

If you’re unfamiliar with metal 3D printing, aim to familiarize yourself with the material options and types of printer technology before ordering. Of course, the experts at any of the printing companies below can also guide you through the options, but in general, you’ll want to consider the mechanical and aesthetic qualities that your final parts must have. These will inform which material is used, the printing process, and the post-process finishing.

For example, if you need a functional metal prototype, such as a bicycle crank, to test under real-life conditions, you’ll want a metal that meets your strength requirements but is still affordable, such as tool steel. However, if you’re looking for a final functional part, such as for an induction coil, that needs high-heat and corrosion resistance, you’ll want to consider copper.

Quote, Costs & Processes

Metal 3D printing services have various business models. Some will work with you to design or redesign your part and hold your hand through the entire process. This is ideal if you’re new to metal 3D printing. For instance, if you have one broken but essential metal factory machine part you need to be recreated faster and cheaper than by machining or casting, but you don’t have a digital file, look for a full-service provider.

But if you’ve 3D printed metal before or your in-house metal 3D printers are at capacity and you have a digital file, you may want a service that enables you to simply upload your digital model, select a few perameters and get your part in the mail in a few days.

In general, almost all metal printing services offer an online quoting platform or they will provide a quote after their metal printing experts evaluate your project. The more complex your project, the more personalized consulting you may need.

The workflow generally follows these steps:

• Create an account and sign in.
• Upload your 3D model to the manufacturer’s online system or reach out to their sales staff.
• Choose your desired material and finishing details, in addition to the number of parts.
• Review the pricing quote that’s generated either instantly or after expert evaluation.
• Place the order, and the item goes into manufacturing.

Now, let’s have a look at our favorite top performers.

Craftcloud by All3DP isn’t just a 3D printing service. It’s a marketplace of 3D printing services that enables manufacturers and engineers to compare prices and services from different service providers and find the right custom manufacturer at the right price.

With partners around the world, Craftcloud presents you with the best services in terms of price and lead time, with no additional fees. Quotes are generated in real-time based on your uploaded models and location. Using the platform is as simple as any other 3D printing service, but with many more options available. You can choose from common metals like aluminum, titanium, and steel, or precious metals like sterling silver and gold. Depending on the material you select, you can also request a particular finish.

Other helpful features of Craftcloud are its professional network and support staff. If your part isn’t suitable for printing, or you simply don’t have a design, experts and professional partners will help you get your design off the ground. And if you’re having trouble with the order or delivery processes, the Craftcloud team is ready to assist.

Craftcloud by All3DP

Get custom metal parts 3D printed easily and affordably!

Based in Belgium with a manufacturing facility in Michigan, Materialise is known for its 3D printing software, yet also offers both a rapid prototyping and an on-demand additive manufacturing for volume production. Both options offer metal.

The Materialise portal features an automated check for the 3D printing suitability of your part and optional consultation with engineers. Their services are structured by industry, having set up a department for each major client group, including medicine, optics, and jewelry.

What’s particularly good about Materialise is the amount of information they provide in advance. They share a lot regarding the technology used for each type of metal, the maximum sizes of objects that can be printed, their estimated delivery times, and useful tips on how to design your 3D model.

The company also provides several business integration solutions, like manufacturing partnerships and white-label integration. This makes it easy for your firm to partner with Materialise to provide parts and services for your customers under your own name. If you sell your own digital 3D models, there is even an integration partnership that enables you to offer your customers a way to order a print of your models from Materialise, and you get a cut.

Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 13485:2016, EN 9100, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 27001

FIT is a German additive manufacturer that’s been delivering custom metal parts and components globally for more than 20 years. They have facilities in the US, Japan, Russia, and Europe.

When it comes to metals, FIT offers a wide range of materials and technologies and several conventional production technologies as well. Together with their development expertise for 3D printed components and their extensive post-processing possibilities, they offer metal additive manufacturing for everything from medical implants and aerospace parts to spare auto parts and sculpture.

FIT shines when it comes to expertise and has 250 employees on the job. They boast that they make the entire value chain of 3D printing available to customers – from product design through to engineering, production, and post-processing. As a development and implementation partner, they’re not an upload-and-order shop like Sculpteo or Protolabs. They’re more of a guide for additive manufacturing who can show you the best path to reach your project goal.

They provide individual consultation and training services on the topic of additive manufacturing. And, because they know additive manufacturing is not always the best solution in every single case, they also have numerous conventional technologies, such as CNC milling, injection molding, vacuum casting, or elastomer manufacturing.

Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 13485, FDA,TISAX

The huge metal powder supplier GNK purchased the 3D printing service company Forecast 3D and it became GKN Additive Forecast 3D. Founded in 1994, Forecast 3D grew from a single-car garage to occupy more than 49,000-square-feet of a Carlsbad, California manufacturing space featuring more than 30 pieces of additive and subtractive manufacturing equipment.

GKN Additive specializes in metal powder production and metal, as well as design and manufacturing services. Together, the group offers one of the world’s largest global networks of industrial 3D printers serving clients in the  aerospace, automotive, industrial, healthcare, defense, electronics, and consumer products markets. From an intricate surgical device to a large intake manifold for a jet engine to a production run of 4,000 metal parts, GKN Additive has the technology and experience to deliver, they say.

There’s no instant quote option, but if your register on the site you can begin a dialog with their customer care folks to narrow down your needs.

Certifications: ISO 14001:2015, ISO 50001:2018, ISO 45001:2018, IATF 16949:2016

Oerlikon AM is a division of the Swiss technology giant OC Oerlikon that was set up in 2016. They have production centers in Europe, the US, and China. From these three centers, Oerlikon is able to serve customers on all continents. In late 2023, the company said it planned to consolidate its AM production in the US, its largest growth market, and focuse AM production in Huntersville, North Carolina. European and other international customers are planned to be served from the US.

In materials, Oerlikon relies entirely on its alloy powders, developed in-house. Although the selection isn’t quite as varied as with some other services, having their own proprietary materials allows Oerlikon to make precise material recommendations for your specific needs.

The on-site material production allows them to even create customized materials for their customers. They’re also able to provide in-depth engineering and design consulting from concepts to production, in addition to post-processing and testing services.

With their extensive experience in additive manufacturing and focus on demanding industries – like aerospace and automotive – Oerlikon has a narrower service scope than some other providers. That’s not a bad thing, though – they know exactly what they’re good at and are making the most out of it.

Certifications: ISO 9001, ITAR

Minnesota-headquartered Protolabs makes their claim to fame with speed. The company promises very short lead times. They also have a digital quoting platform, which provides not only instant quotes but also design analysis — to make sure what you want to print is printable. Back in 2021, Protolabs joined forces with the online manufacturing platform Hubs, which has greatly enhanced its production capabilities. The Hubs division changed its name to Protolabs Network in 2024, but its services stayed the same.

In Nov. 2023. Protolabs opened a new 120,000-square-foot facility in North Carolina primarily dedicated to metal 3D printing.

Although Protolabs doesn’t provide 3D modeling services, if you have questions after the online quotation process, their expert engineers will walk you through your material and design choices, but this option is for companies that already know exactly what they’re looking for and want the convenience of a user-friendly online platform.

In addition to 3D printing, the company offers CNC machining and sheet metal fabrication services.

Certifications: ISO 9001:2015, AA9100D, ITAR

Protiq is one of the most robust service offerings on our list because they, like Craftcloud, are a marketplace of 3D printing services. They also cover everything from the design and engineering of your part, simulation of the digital model, through to the 3D printing and even CT scanning to ensure quality. They’ll check your digital file to ensure printability and even reverse engineer a part if you don’t have a digital file of it.

Protiq does also operate its own manufacturing facilities in Germany, the US, and India in addition to its manufacturing partners.

Protiq is as complicated or simple as you want to make it. They offer both a quick web portal where you upload and configure your 3D digital files and receive quotes on your project from a number of suppliers and a full contract manufacturing relationship. Originally focusing on internal production for the parent company Phoenix Contact, Protiq has moved to prototyping and additive series production for various industries.

If the products you’re looking to print are gears, conductors, or other popular parts, the company offers a quick part configurator. With just a few clicks, you can pick your design, material, size, and volume.

Each of the manufacturing partners on the Protiq Marketplace is listed with its materials, technologies, and certifications.

Sculpteo (a part of the BASF group) originated in France and has an additional manufacturing plant in Oakland, Calif. Although they primarily focus on Europe and the US, Sculpteo does provide worldwide shipping.

Their services include a design studio wing that can help you take your part from napkin sketch to production. They also offer laser engraving and one interesting benefit is that their parent company BASF is also the maker of the most popular metal filament material used in extrusion metal 3D printing. If this is the economical metal technology you’re looking for, Sculpteo would arguably have the most expertise on hand.

Sculpteo serves every industry, but they particularly highlight the automotive, medical, and eyewear sectors.

Sculpteo also has an extensive learning and education library and blog. It provides useful, up-to-date information for both beginners and 3D printing experts. The company also offers design consulting, 3D modeling, simulation, and production services.

Quickparts is a full-service additive manufacturer that grew from printer maker giant 3D Systems. Based in South Carolina, with a global presence, they offer printing and consultation services and can also provide additional services like CNC machining and casting patterns.

Because of its 3D Systems pedigree, Quickparts only offers metal 3D printing on 3D Systems’ laser powder bed systems machines, which isn’t necessarily a drawback considering that 3D Systems are some of the most popular machines on the market.

They have experienced engineers, dedicated project managers, and five well-equipped facilities needed to handle your low-volume production, although for mass-production, it relies on its casting and injection molding services.

The company has engineers stationed in several facilities around the globe and has decades of manufacturing experience.

Certifications: ISO 9001:2015, ITAR

A relative newcomer to 3D printing as a service, Addman, founded in 2020, seems to have jumped in with both feet, acquiring a stable of existing additive and traditional contract manufacturing companies to quickly build up its machine inventory and service menu. In 2022, it acquired Castheon, a leading provider of additive manufacturing technologies for mission-critical space applications.

The Florida-based company offers metal and polymer 3D printing, CNC machining, and other post-processing at six facilities across the US.

When it comes to applications and industries served, Addman says it covers aerospace, medical, energy, and industrial and produces everything from rocket thrusters to tooling to mission-critical hinges. They’ll even send you a free part sample.

The company’s metal 3D printing is carried out on an enviable collection of the industry’s top laser powder bed fusion printers, including a Velo3D Sapphire, a collection of EOSs, and machines from 3D Systems, GE Additive, and Renishaw. Engineers on staff can guide you to the right machine, materials, and post-processing for your application. In fact, the engineering consultancy can start with your part requirements and develop your part’s application-specific design, material, and manufacturing process.

Certifications: ISO 9001:2015, AS9100D, ITAR, ISO 13485:2016, ISO 14001:2015, SEP: ISO 50001

Founded in 2011, BLT serves the metal additive manufacturing market primarily in China, but they deliver for international clients as well. BLT has established itself, particularly in the aerospace industry, delivering monthly parts for such giants as Airbus since 2021. All in all, the company has clients in Asia, Europe, and the US.

They’re not just about airplanes, though. BLT serves a wide variety of other industries, including automotive, medical, dental, and artistic segments. Recently they established an R&D center to explore a range of industries that make use of metal additive manufacturing technologies.

With its proprietary printers, BLT is able to harness several technologies for various applications, including selective laser melting, laser solid forming, and wire arc additive manufacturing. They offer five or six available materials and are the only company on this list printing with tungsten.

On top of metal 3D printing, BLT offers a slew of additional services, including design consultation, testing, and quality assurance. BLT is even able to provide its customers with customized process parameters and software solutions that are tailored to the customer’s specific needs.

For those active in Chinese or wider Asian markets, or the aerospace industry, BLT offers a comprehensive service package.

Certifications: Nadcap, ISO 9001:2015, AS 9100D/EN9100:2018, GJB9001C-2017

Swedish engineering group Sandvik has more than 150 years of metallurgy experience, so they know metal. They brought this expertise to additive manufacturing with the 2013 launch of Sandvik AM. So, if you’re looking for the most seasoned metal veterans to produce your parts for you, Sandvik’s the company to go for.

Sandvik AM has this list’s largest variety of metal alloy powders, including several specialty and high-performance materials. The list is constantly expanding, too – they recently added cemented carbide, which is known for its hardness and difficulties to machine. They also offer the option to customize materials for your specific application. To work with its materials, the company uses powder bed fusion and binder jetting technologies.

With more than a century and a half of experience, you’d expect Sandvik to be able to provide in-depth consulting and advice – and they do. The company offers design services, in addition to extensive advanced post-processing and testing options, thanks to their knowledge of all things metal. In 2019, Sandvik acquired a significant stake in BeamIT, the Italian 3D printing company with more than 59 printing systems across Europe and the UK at 7 factories.

What is especially significant at Sandvik and BeamIT, is that they hold several quality certifications including for automotive components. When you need the kind of sureness only years and years of experience can bring, you should definitely contact Sandvik AM.

Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 13485 (medical devices), AS9100D

Focusing more on part development than most on our list, Burloak boasts a team of engineers that not only design for additive manufacturing but also has expertise in aerospace manufacturing, propulsion, thermal management, tooling, and molding. In fact, Burloak, a division of Samuel, Son & Co., works with Boeing to additively manufacture aluminum alloy components to the Boeing BAC 5673 specification.

The company’s approach is to deliver an engineering team that can work alongside yours, helping you understand the intricacies of AM as it may apply to your specific project and, in some cases, completely manage product development.

From rapid prototyping in plastic to full-scale production in metal, Burloak Technologies also provides materials development, high-precision CNC machining, post-processing, and metrology.

Certifications: ISO 9011, ISO 17025, AS 9100, ITAR

Before you jump at metal 3D printing, you should ask yourself one vital question: do you really need your part printed in metal?

You may have always used machined metal parts for a certain application in the past, so it only seems reasonable that you should go for metal with 3D printing as well. However, that’s not always true. Often, an engineering-grade plastic part can provide similar or even better functionality, while at the same time cutting down part weight and manufacturing costs. Plastic is often cheaper than metal, after all.

Only an expert additive manufacturing engineer can make the call on what would be the best material. This is why partnering with a 3D printing company that provides in-house design and engineering consultation is so valuable. They will be able to tell what the most suitable material for your application is.

Not only that, a full-service design and printing company can guide you through the entire process. You only need to have your part concept, and they can advise you on the best design, material, and post-processing options. If they offer services such as iterative design and topography optimization, they might very well be able to produce a more durable and cheaper part out of materials you didn’t even consider.

That said, it might be that you actually have a decent bit of metal 3D printing experience. Maybe you’ve used several printing services, or even used to have a printer of your own, and you know exactly what you need. In such a case, you can safely opt for a printing service that offers less comprehensive additional services. This can often bring the printing cost down as the company doesn’t have as many experts on its payroll.

Practically all of the printing services listed above provide at least some kind of design consultation, and a few also have extensive material guides and learning resources available. It’s a good idea to start by reading up on what they’re saying about your application. And when in doubt, you can always simply contact a couple of services about your project. They will be ready to help you, and if they’re not, you will know that one wasn’t the right partner for you.

One of the most common reasons companies turn to metal 3D printing is to create a replacement of a metal part that’s no longer available to order. For this, reverse engineering is often the only way to create a 3D printed part when you don’t have a digital file of the original.

On a broad level, reverse engineering is the act of dismantling an object to see how it works. On a practical level, reverse engineering is measuring a physical object and then reconstructing it as a digital 3D model, which can then be 3D printed or manufactured another way.

Although we won’t go into all of the details here, know that many companies, including some mentioned above (Craftcloud, Materialise, and Sculpteo) specialize in creating a digital model from an existing part. First the original part is 3D scanned, then that scan file is manipulated in computer aided design software to exactly match the original or introduce enhancements or improvements. You can find a list of top design companies in our guide, “The Best 3D Printing Design Services.”

If you’d like to know more about how the reverse engineering process is conducted, check out the article linked below.

From Part to Model

Reverse Engineering Parts With 3D Scanners & Software