Desktop Metal Buys Adaptive3D

Desktop Metal, Inc. has acquired Adaptive3D, a provider of elastomeric solutions for additive manufacturing. Adaptive3D offers photopolymer elastomers. Its products enable volume end-use parts production via additive manufacturing of odorless, tough, strain-tolerant, tear-resistant and biocompatible rubbers and rubber-like materials. The Company’s flagship resin is Elastic ToughRubber 90, a tough, printable elastomer for all seasons.

Adaptive3D printable materials are optimized for high-throughput manufacturing of functional, complex 3D plastic and rubber parts in consumer, healthcare, industrial, transportation and oil and gas markets. Adaptive3D’s 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 of Adaptive3D advances Desktop Metal’s vertical integration strategy to grow our portfolio of materials and expand the high-volume applications supported by our polymer additive manufacturing solutions,” says Ric Fulop, founder and CEO of Desktop Metal. “Elastomers and rubber materials are a killer app for Additive Manufacturing 2.0 (AM 2.0).

“We are thrilled to partner with Desktop Metal to enable additive manufacturing through our differentiated materials,” says Walter Voit, founder and CEO of Adaptive3D. “This acquisition extends our already strong partnership with EnvisionTEC, enabling us to accelerate our growth into the $129 billion 1 elastomer and flexible foams market just waiting for high-volume, additive manufacturing elastomer capabilities.”

Bolstering AM 2.0 Solutions

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

Expanding Materials Library

“This transaction advances Desktop Metal’s strategy to grow our proprietary materials portfolio in order to expand the high-volume applications we can provide our customers,” says Fulop. “We will continue to search for attractive opportunities to organically and inorganically add to our library of over 225 qualified materials across metals, composites, polymers, ceramics, biocompatible materials, wood and now elastomers.”

Adaptive3D will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Desktop Metal, and Voit will continue to lead the business from its Plano, TX, headquarters.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.