3D Printing Companies Divergent Technologies, Nexa3D, and More Join AMGTA

The Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA) added six new 3D printing companies to the ranks as part of its ongoing efforts to promote sustainability in additive manufacturing. The additions bring the AMGTA’s membership total to 33. Among the new members, only vehicle manufacturer Divergent Technologies will be joining as a founding board member, and the rest of the companies will become participating members.

Launched in November 2019, the AMGTA is dedicated to educating about the environmental benefits of AM, as well as promoting the technology as an alternative to traditional manufacturing. Open to any additive manufacturer or industry stakeholder that meets certain criteria relating to the sustainability of production or process, the non-commercial organization has been developing industry best practices, helping members grow their businesses, and promoting the adoption of 3D printing.

AMGTA’s executive director Sherry Handel said she “looks forward to working with each of our members as we expand the AMGTA as the key industry resource committed to advancing sustainability in the AM industry.” She also highlighted that the additions are part of the AMGTA’s growth objectives and will support strategic investments in sustainability research projects in 3D printing.

The 3D printed Blade. Image courtesy of Divergent 3D.

Joining the AMGTA as a new founding member, California company Divergent Technologies designs, prints, and assembles optimized and sustainable vehicle structures using a fully adaptive end-to-end production system. Its proprietary manufacturing platform, known as the Divergent Adaptive Production Systems (DAPS), is a complete software-hardware solution designed to replace traditional vehicle manufacturing. Given a set of digital requirements as input, the modular digital factory will automatically and computationally engineer, 3D print, and assemble any complex structure.

In October 2021, Divergent doubled its car 3D printing capabilities after purchasing three more NXG XII 600 metal printers from SLM Solutions. Once they’re delivered in early 2022, Divergent will become the most prolific user of NXG XII 600 systems in the US. Divergent and SLM Solutions have had a joint development partnership since 2017, having also purchased seven SLM 500 systems, three SLM 280 systems, and one SLM 125 system.

With so many printers available on-site, Divergent can build thousands of tons of vehicle parts, expected to be on the road within the next two years. Then, Divergent plans to scale its advanced facilities, designed using DAPS for sustainable production, starting with “fab-less” vehicle manufacturing. This second step will begin with the officially approved Czinger 21C hypercar, a two million dollar 3D printed car containing hundreds of generatively-designed AM components that promises an 8.1-second quarter mile.

Divergent Technologies founder and CEO Kevin Czinger with an additively manufactured component for the Czinger hypercar. Image courtesy of Divergent Technologies via LinkedIn.

Divergent will serve alongside existing founding members ExOne, a pioneer and global leader in industrial 3D printing systems using binder jet 3D printing technology, now part of Desktop Metal; QC Laboratories, an advanced non-destructive testing laboratory focused on AM components; Sintavia, a designer and 3D printer of a new generation of flight and launch components; global polymer 3D printing leader Stratasys, and Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation, a supplier of stable industrial gases to a wide variety of industries.

As founding members, these companies determine the strategic direction of the AMGTA, provide governance oversight, and consider future research projects that members may vote to commission. Moreover, now that Divergent has become a founding member, its CTO and vice president of AM and materials, Michael Kenworthy, will also serve on the AMGTA’s board of directors.

Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing (ACAM) in Germany. Image courtesy of ACAM.

Additionally, joining the AMGTA as participating members are five companies. From Germany, the Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing (ACAM), located on the RWTH Aachen University campus, has the resources and facilities to develop know-how, processes, software, and systems engineering, as well as customized services covering all aspects of AM technologies. Another German company, Kurtz Ersa, has also joined the ranks. The technology corporation recently debuted on the metal 3D printing market with the Alpha 140 laser beam powder bed fusion machine, created in collaboration with Laser Melting Innovations, which is coincidentally an ACAM spin-off.

Nexa3D’s NXE400 printer. Image courtesy of Nexa3D.

Ultrafast polymer 3D printer manufacturer Nexa3D is the third company joining AMGTA this week. Founded by industry pioneer and X-Prize board member Avi Reichental, Nexa3D is on 3DPrint.com’s potential unicorn list, with a valuation that has already surpassed $100 million. In addition, the company’s innovative technologies and sustainable supply chain management make it an ideal partner for AMGTA.

Also becoming part of the organization are Tekna Advanced Materials, a world-leading provider of high-purity metal powders for applications such as 3D printing in the aerospace, medical, and automotive sectors, and Trane Technologies, a global climate innovator bringing efficient and sustainable solutions to buildings, homes, and transportation through an environmentally responsible portfolio of products and services.