Additive manufacturing with metal powders continues to be one of the hottest trends globally, and it’s easy to see why. Projections continue to look promising for the future, to say the least, with figures pushing toward an annual growth rate (CAGR) of almost 26% into 2028. Most businesses pursuing metal 3D printing seek highly industrial parts, but may initially be put off in assuming they have to spend enormous amounts of capital on new technology, advanced materials, and operational staff with the necessary expertise.

In outsourcing AM processes with OTTO, businesses can offer a whole new level of services to their own customers, and with no capital expenditure required for hardware and all the other associated resources. Very little time or effort is required of businesses as OTTO does the heavy lifting, leaving companies the valuable time they need to focus on their own specialties.

OTTO provides a wide range of new capabilities for applications like:

• Aerospace and drone technology
• Automotive
• Electronics
• Robotics
• Mechanical 
• Medical

For many traditional manufacturers, branching out into AM processes means trying a powerful new type of technology, and expanding services to their own customers in a very impressive way. Some companies may still be relying on CNC machining and/or injection molding, while others are completely transitioning into adaptive and efficient automation like additive manufacturing due to growing customer demand.

Additive manufacturing with metal powders provides new freedom in design and production whether customers want to make functioning prototypes or high-performance end parts for industrial applications. Along with the ability to create complex geometries like never before—both externally and internally—AM processes provide the power for building parts that are stronger than ever and lighter in weight too. These benefits are further accentuated with other advantages like minimal lead time, and no requirements for machining or tooling.

OTTO 3D Printing Technology and Metal Materials

For 3D printing with Steel, OTTO relies on Binder Jetting, a technology named for the agents used to bond granular metal particles together layer after layer. Binder liquid is the glue that creates dense, complex structures which may be coated or sintered in post-processing. This technology is also exceptional in offering designers and engineers even greater freedom with the elimination of the need for supports. This means they don’t have to design intricate structures to stabilize parts during the printing process, and they also don’t have to worry about damage to parts in post-processing with removal of supports.

Binder Jetting offers incredible speed and efficiency, resulting in accurate parts that are repeatable every single time. Following are specific details regarding the metal materials used with this technology for OTTO:

Stainless Steel 17-4 PH - chosen because of excellence in properties like hardness and toughness, this single-alloy material is also resistant to heat and corrosion. Parts 3D printed with Stainless Steel 17-4 PH usually exhibit superior material properties as well as high resolution. 

OTTO  customers rely on Stainless Steel 17-4 PH for industrial manufacturing of:

• Fasteners
• Jigs and fixtures
• Machine tools
• Parts for oil and gas
• Pump components
• Valving

For this material, 3D models must be within the following minimum and maximum bounding box sizes:

• Bounding Box Min
  • 15 × 15 × 3 mm
• Bounding Box Max
  • 127 × 127 × 76.2 mm

This material is available in silver, with a granular, semi-matte finish that can be polished. Find out more about design guidelines for Stainless Steel 17-4 PH here.

A Transformative Additive Manufacturing Foundation

OTTO makes additive manufacturing highly accessible to any business ready to provide 3D printing to their customers, acting as a transformative solution that begins with the uploading process and ends once the product has been delivered, whether to you or directly to your customer in your own, customized packaging. 

OTTO services make it possible for companies of all sizes to add a new stream of revenue–with no prior experience in AM processes required. Other features include: 

• A customized ordering page, featuring each company’s logo, colors, and brand.
• Efficient production, accompanied by fast checkout, file analysis and file fixing.
• A wide range of choices in AM technology, materials, and finishes.
• Customer service insight for offering pricing, issuing refunds, and answers to customer questions.
• Automated reporting services to track customer orders, maintain information, and monitor revenue.

About OTTO

OTTO enables manufacturers to offer 3D printing to their customers without any capital expenditure. Our manufacturing enterprise software is easily integrated, simplifying production of 3D printed parts in any volume with a wide variety of suitable materials and technologies--meeting the most advanced standards for any manufacturing enterprise. 

Learn more. Watch a demo.