ADAM Metal 3D Printing: A Breakthrough for Low‑Volume, High‑Mix Production

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is Here

For the past three centuries, manufacturing has scaled through steam power, lean assembly lines, and computational automation. Today’s fourth industrial revolution brings digital manufacturing to the fore, unlocking unprecedented leverage. Yet, producing single‑piece or low‑volume parts with high variability remains a costly and time‑consuming challenge—primarily because a human operator still must set up, fixture, program, and run the process. Traditional manufacturing techniques simply cannot match the flexibility required for one‑off jobs.

A Solution to the Single‑Part Problem

Markforged’s ADAM metal 3D printing offers a proven alternative. By combining the proven strength of metal injection molding (MIM) with the agility of additive manufacturing, ADAM eliminates the need for costly molds, extensive fixturing, and labor‑intensive programming. A remote, cloud‑based software stack now controls fleets of printers worldwide, ushering in a new era of distributed manufacturing.

While metal 3D printing is not new, ADAM’s recent evolution lowers the barrier to entry by a factor of ten compared to other metal processes. This translates into lower equipment and facility costs, and, most importantly, substantially cheaper parts. With a growing library of engineering‑grade materials—including 17‑4 PH stainless steel, A2 and H13 tool steels, and soon Inconel 625 and Ti‑6Al‑4V—manufacturers can produce high‑quality, functional parts for tooling, prototyping, and low‑volume production with unprecedented ease.

How the ADAM Process Works

The ADAM workflow begins with a 3D printer that extrudes a filament of metal particles bound by a proprietary dual‑binder system. The resulting “green‑state” part is then immersed in a solvent bath that passively removes a portion of the binder. Once the part reaches the target mass reduction, it is transferred to a furnace that first burns out the remaining binder and then sinters the metal particles together. Both the solvent wash and furnace stages are batch processes, enabling simultaneous production of multiple parts.

Not every design is suited for ADAM. Size, geometry, and material constraints must be respected to achieve optimal results. Designers should employ Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) principles—such as minimizing overhangs and incorporating self‑supporting features—to maximize yield and performance. The Stanley Black & Decker actuator housing exemplifies a successful ADAM‑designed tool that meets stringent functional requirements.

The Future of Manufacturing

Discretized metal 3D printing is reshaping how companies address high‑mix, low‑volume production. ADAM’s low cost, ease of use, and extensive material portfolio position it as the most accessible metal additive solution on the market today. Coupled with Markforged’s integrated software and support for plastics, composites, and metals, customers can tackle a wide range of production challenges—from prototyping to end‑use parts—without the overhead of traditional tooling.

Ready to see ADAM in action? Request a live demo of the Markforged Metal X printer on our website.