Printable metals forge ahead

A couple of recent developments show that additive manufacturing isn’t just for polymers. The Burlington, Mass.-based three-dimensional printing start-up Desktop Metal has received $45 million in a funding round led by BMW i Ventures, Lowe’s Ventures, and GV (formerly Google Ventures). The company has raised a total of $97 million since it was founded in October 2015. “Just as plastic 3-D printing paved the way for rapid prototyping, metal 3-D printing will make a profound impact on the way companies both prototype and mass-produce parts,” says Ric Fulop, Desktop Metal’s CEO. Separately, American Elements says it has completed an expansion of its Los Angeles plant for 3-D printing metals. The company says it can now make “several metric tons of high-purity alloys monthly.”