Emily Suzuki
Elevate your design and manufacturing processes with Autodesk Fusion
The New Possible podcast is a monthly podcast that sheds light on the future of making things – from COVID-19 ventilators to sustainable motorcycles. Each episode tells the story of how a company unlocked their new possible using Autodesk Fusion 360. Follow along as we dive into the who’s, what’s, and how’s behind some of the most exciting innovations. This episode, we chat with One Click Metal about the democratization of metal additive manufacturing. Listen to the New Possible podcast on all major hosting platforms, including Apple, Amazon, Spotify and Google.
When you go to 3D print a part, metal probably isn’t the first material to come to mind. Why? Metal additive manufacturing is complicated, expensive, elusive, and did I mention it’s expensive? The barrier to entry for metal 3D printing is much higher than its plastic or polymer counterparts.
There aren’t many places to learn about this advanced technology, and expensive equipment makes it near impossible for companies to experiment with it. You don’t see everyday consumers with home-based metal additive machines—it’s just not a thing yet. In order to do it right, you need to hire a third-party company and spend boatloads on a part that might not even go to market.
Enter Germany-based metal additive manufacturing company, One Click Metal. CEO Björn Ullmann and his team believe that the metal additive process doesn’t need to be this complex and elite. Everyone should have access to this technology with just one simple click of a button.
One Click Metal’s direct-to-consumer 3D printing system, Bold Series, helps companies bring metal additive in-house to save costs and take more control over their manufacturing process. It costs under $100K for the printer and post-processing system versus the hundreds of thousands of dollars their competitors charge.
The system includes the MPRINT+ printer and MPREP, a holistic data and print preparation tool that makes additional software unnecessary. Its UI is designed to simplify the process without sacrificing print quality. Theoretically, anyone can get started with little to no stressors, and you can do it all with one machine and just a few clicks. They’re looking at it kind of like an appliance that can make anything from your living room or garage (well, maybe only try that if you live alone.)
For this episode of The New Possible, we spoke with Björn to learn more about the ideology behind One Click Metal’s system and how the democratization of metal additive manufacturing will affect the design and engineering industries at large.
Listen to the full conversation above via Apple, Amazon, Spotify, and Google. Stay tuned for the next episode of The New Possible podcast, which will drop next month.
In the meantime, check out our other episodes:
Episode 1: fuseproject Goes Medical to Combat COVID-19
Episode 2: Vortic Watch Co: Not Your Grandpa’s Pocket Watch
Episode 3: CAMplete Brought 5-Axis Machining Into the 21st Century
Episode 4: MIT Space Exploration Initiative Designs Everyday Life in Space