3D Printing News Briefs, January 4, 2025: Metal 3D Printers, Puma’s New Creative Hub, & More

In today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, we’ve got business news to share about Benny Buller’s new company, and then two stories about metal 3D printer acquisitions. We’ll finish with Puma Group’s new creative hub in Germany.

Benny Buller’s Manufacturing Software Development Company

It’s been a little over a year since Benny Buller, Velo3D Founder and CEO, resigned at the request of the Board of Directors, which began a strategic review process to explore alternatives for increasing shareholder value. Buller led the metal 3D printing company through its merger with special purpose acquisition (SPAC) company JAWS Spitfire Acquisition Corporation back in 2021 in order to go public, and stepped down during a time in which Velo3D was experiencing substantial growth amid major financial challenges. Just weeks after his resignation, Velo3D was faced with a non-compliance notice from the NYSE, and soon initiated a public offering in order to raise funds. The company showed signs of recovery during Q1 of 2024, but ultimately left the NYSE for the over-the-counter (OTC) market, announced a 32% workforce reduction, and entered into a Forbearance Agreement with its creditors.

While all of that was happening with his former company, Buller was busy setting up for his next move. According to an interview with Medium, he grew his career in the technology unit of the Israeli Intelligence, and had several technical roles before becoming an investor and entrepreneur. All of this experience led him to join Alex Huckstepp in co-founding uptool, a seed-stage software development startup based in the San Francisco area. According to its website, uptool is an “AI Operating System for Manufacturing.” Working with Tier 1 investors, the startup recently came out of stealth to transform the manufacturing industry, and currently has a very small team, though it was looking for a Senior Frontend Engineer and a Senior Backend Engineer. Buller wrote that these positions were an excellent opportunity “to join an awesome team in the very early days and shape the company and a very important industry.” Best of luck to Buller and uptool!

ArcelorMittal Using Stratasys Technology in Maizières-lès-Metz Research Center

Top European steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal has expanded its 3D printing use by adopting the Stratasys F370 3D printer at its Maizières-lès-Metz research center in France. This course of action was taken in order to enable production efficiency, cost savings, and design flexibility for complex tooling, jigs, and fixtures and functional prototypes. Because the printer can be run overnight, the ArcelorMittal R&D department can test and validate more components during the day. Plus, by using GrabCAD Print software alongside the F370, the company can validate part shapes and measurements ahead of final production for a fraction of the time and cost it would take with traditional manufacturing. Finally, Seido Systèmes, an important partner of the company, is supporting ArcelorMittal Maizières Research to further expand its AM uses. The two will work together to integrate the Stratasys Origin DLP 3D printer, so they can work with resins that have a high-quality surface finish and great mechanical performance for industrial applications.

“Our relationship with ArcelorMittal is a great example of how additive manufacturing is finding its place on the factory floor. By adopting our solutions, ArcelorMittal is unlocking new use cases, streamlining production, and achieving the speed and precision required for modern manufacturing. Working alongside Seido, we continue to demonstrate the value that additive manufacturing brings to industrial customers,” said Andreas Langfeld, President EMEA and APAC at Stratasys.

AM 4 AM Purchases One Click Metal BOLDSERIES via Multistation

In other metal 3D printer acquisition news, Luxembourg-based AM 4 AM (Advanced Materials for Additive Manufacturing) announced that it purchased a BOLDSERIES from One Click Metal through French manufacturing systems and services provider Multistation. A few months ago, AM 4 AM completed a successful €1.3 million seed funding round to help scale its AM material production processes and increase its advanced metal powder portfolio. The company was looking for a laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) system for internal testing of powders under development, and worked with Multistation to define a set of detailed requirements. To help AM 4 AM enhance its materials development capabilities, they chose the BOLDSERIES: a complete solution for accessible metal 3D printing, which includes the compact MPRINT system and MPURE depowdering and sieving station. The BOLDSERIES should help AM 4 AM improve its ability to optimize material properties and better serve its clients.

“Acquiring the BOLDSERIES from One Click Metal represents a significant milestone for AM 4 AM and Multistation played a significant role in this acquisition by driving us into the best solution for our powder development activities. Indeed, the lab module provided with our equipment is particularly well adapted to perform several iterations for materials development. It will allow us to efficiently define the best materials composition while consuming a low amount of resources,” said Co-founder and CEO of AM 4 AM Maxime Delmée. “This acquisition reinforces our commitment to integrating cutting-edge technology into our operations, enabling us to be competitive in the additive manufacturing landscape.”

Puma Group’s New Creative Hub at German Headquarters

Leading sportswear brand Puma Group, which knows a thing or two about using 3D printing for its products, recently opened a new creative hub in its Herzogenaurach, Germany headquarters. Studio48 is dedicated to incubating design and innovation, and developing products and campaigns over multiple categories, such as performance and sportstyle. The 5,300-square-foot hub houses sewing machines and a space for embroidery, a photo studio, a product testing area, and a 3D printing facility. There is also meeting space for both internal and external creatives, where global design meetings will be hosted as necessary, and workshops can be held in the hub as well. In fact, to celebrate the opening of Studio48, Puma hosted a workshop that featured its own designers working alongside Nicole McLaughlin, a US-based designer known for her upcycled fashion pieces.

“With the new Studio48 we are creating a significant tool to enhance the excellence of our designs and elevate the brand. While many of our products are created digitally, Studio48 will be a space for a different kind of creativity, where our designers from different departments can brainstorm together, exchange best practices, experience new materials and touch and feel the products they want to make,” said Heiko Desens, Puma’s vice president creative direction and innovation.

The brand also has plans to open a similar creative space early this year in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles.