Desktop Metal Acquires Adaptive3D

Desktop Metal has acquired Adaptive3D, a provider of elastomeric solutions for additive manufacturing (AM). Adaptive3D’s photopolymer elastomers are said to enable volume end-use parts AM production of odorless, tough, strain-tolerant, tear-resistant and biocompatible rubbers and rubber-like materials.

Adaptive3D’s Elastic ToughRubber 90 resin is a tough, printable elastomer. Its materials are optimized for high throughput manufacturing of functional, complex 3D plastic and rubber parts in consumer, health care, industrial, transportation, and oil and gas markets. Its core technology was developed through Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) funding, and the company has received strategic capital from leading materials companies, including Covestro, Arkema Group, West Pharmaceuticals, Applied Ventures and Royal DSM.

The acquisition enables Desktop Metal to grow its portfolio of materials and expand the high-volume applications supported by its polymer AM solutions. “Elastomers and rubber materials are a killer app for Additive Manufacturing 2.0,” says Ric Fulop, founder and CEO of Desktop Metal. “Combining Adaptive3D’s patented and superior elastomer materials with our printers, such as the Xtreme 8K, which lead the industry in throughput, affordability and part quality, will accelerate the adoption of additively manufactured solutions for high-volume, end-use elastomeric parts and products.”

The acquisition enables Adaptive3D to accelerate its growth into the elastomer and flexible foams market, according to Dr. Walter Voit, founder and CEO of Adaptive3D.

The acquisition also extends Adaptive3D’s existing partnership to pair its ToughRubber photoresins with EnvisionTEC’s Xtreme 8K. The machine is optimized for wide area photopolymer printing and is the largest build area production-grade digital light processing (DLP) 3D printer in the world, the company says. Coupled with Adaptive3D’s photoelastomer resins, customers are said to be able to produce tough, durable parts quickly and in volume with premium surface quality, robust material properties and high part accuracy.