Which Metal 3D Printing Technology is Best for You?

Bound Metal Deposition™ (BMD) vs. Binder Jetting

Metal 3D printing can be transformational, unlocking new design freedoms for part innovations and allowing for tooling-free production of spare parts or new product iterations. From office-friendly 3D printing without loose powder on the Studio System to the fast speeds of the world’s best-selling metal binder jetting machine, the Shop System, Desktop Metal has the technologies that offer the perfect fit to get started with metal 3D printing and the expertise to help you scale up to production.

Learn more about two easy-to-adopt types of metal 3D printing from Desktop Metal.

What is Bound Metal?

Bound Metal Deposition™ (BMD) is an extrusion-based 3D printing process where metal powder held together by wax and polymer binder in pre-bound rods is heated and extruded onto a build plate, shaping a part layer-by-layer in an office-friendly process. Once printed, the part is sintered causing the metal particles to densify.

What is Binder Jetting?

Binder jetting uses an industrial printhead to selectively deposit liquid binder onto thin layers of powder particles before densification in a sintering furnace. Its speed, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness, particularly when compared to many laser-based technologies, make it a good choice for scaling additive to production.