Specialist in additively manufacturing metal tooling completes $25 million financing round

Mantle says TrueShape is the first additive technology that combines rough part creation and precision finishing.

The San Francisco developer of a specialized metal 3D printing technology, Mantle Inc., recently closed a Series B round of financing for $25 million. The latest round brings the total amount raised by the company to $41.5 million.

The company claims its proprietary TrueShape process yields accurate, finely detailed parts that:

• have smooth surface finishes;

• crisp, strong edges;

• can be given fine details;

• and be 3D-printed from exceptionally hard, durable materials.

The foundation of the process is Mantle’s line of Flowable Metal Paste materials. The FMPs incorporate metal particles within a liquid to ensure safety and consistency during printing, says the manufacturer. Different types and sizes of particles in the paste minimize dimensional changes during sintering and optimize the part’s material properties.

During the print stage, the FMP material is extruded in the shape of the part using a precise positioning system. While still in the printer, the deposited layers are automatically shaped via a high-speed cutting tool; this is done to improve part surface finish and details. Then, during the sintering phase, the part is heated to a temperature just below its melting point and fused into a dense, solid metal part.

Mantle claims its process is the first additive technology that combines rough part creation and precision finishing to deliver a total precision-part solution.

Three main steps comprise the TrueShape process: print, shape (via cutting), and sinter.