Fluent Metal launches with $5.5M funding for its liquid metal Additive Manufacturing technology
March 18, 2024
Fluent Metal, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, has announced it is developing production-grade liquid metal printing technology for the Additive Manufacturing of functional, sustainable, and economical metal parts. The company recently launched out of stealth, with an additional $3.2 million in venture capital funding, led by E15 with participation from Pillar VC and industry angels, bringing the total funding to $5.5 million.
“Drop-on-demand technology is an elegant approach to create complex metal components,” stated Peter Schmitt, CEO. “Whether it’s prototype iterations of an idea or production runs of a single part, Fluent Metal will provide customers with great operational and material flexibility. This freedom will unlock new creativity and problem-solving abilities across industries.”
The single-step Fluent Metal process uses an inkjet-like printhead with wire as the starting material. There is no waste and multi-metal Additive Manufacturing is possible. It is also possible for high-value metals to be intricately combined and complex shapes, such as fully enclosed voids and internal channels, to be produced.
Fluent Metal’s approach is designed to operate safely on a typical manufacturing floor or even in a prototyping shop, without the need for clean rooms or expensive safety measures. Additionally, material changeover is designed to be easy with a plug-and-play system, reducing setup efforts and allowing for higher machine uptimes.
“As the manufacturing industry evolves in response to the changing needs of global supply chains and sustainability demands, we need novel approaches to drive creativity and expand our collective conception about what’s possible,” shared Philip Liang, Managing Partner, E15. “In the near term, Fluent Metal will spark the imagination of designers, engineers, and technologists to consider how rapid, on-demand production of custom metal parts could transform their capabilities. At scale, this approach will revolutionise the entire footprint and direction of industrial manufacturing.”
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