AIM3D, a German additive manufacturing solutions provider, has been granted four patents in the US and Europe for its compact pellet extruders and material extrusion printing technology.

The patents cover various aspects of additive manufacturing of metal parts and thermo-mechanically deformable materials including the company's filament extruders (FDM printers) for high-temperature applications and high-flow hot ends.

AIM3D’s newly patented composite extrusion modeling (CEM) technology features thermal separation of housing, which enables the processing of materials like ULTEM 9085. The company claims its design offers a short melting zone and uniform extrusion with high build rates. Moreover, the technology can be extended to filament or stick-based systems that leverage thermal separation for higher flow rates or high-temperature material processing.

Founded in Germany as a spin-off from the University of Rostock, AIM3D offers a number of additive manufacturing solutions, including printers and materials. Its ExAM line of 3D printers can process a wide range of materials, including polymers, metals, and ceramics. Moreover, they leverage a novel printing process named Voxelfill, which enables the targeted filling of volume chambers to achieve specific material properties.