Who Are Large Scale 3d Printing Companies?

You have just completed a stunning design for a 1:1 car bumper, a custom piece of furniture, or a huge architectural model. Every curve is meticulously crafted, and every detail is perfectly presented. You are full of excitement and can’t wait to turn this digital blueprint into a physical entity within your reach, to feel its real texture and volume. However, this excitement is completely dampened by the cold reality before you click the “Print” button – the palm-sized build space of your beloved desktop 3D printer is simply a joke when facing such a grand design.

In an instant, the blueprint of the dream shattered into countless annoying fragments. You are faced with the tedious task of cutting this perfect whole into dozens or even hundreds of small pieces. What follows is an endless print queue, complex assembly positioning, piles of glue, and fragile and conspicuous seams that can never be perfectly hidden. The whole process is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but also makes the final product have an indelible “patchwork feeling” and greatly reduces its strength. Is this really the “dream come true” you want?

What if there is a possibility: you can just press “print” and get a complete, huge, solid, and seamless finished product? No more annoying dividing lines, no more fragile bonding points, and size is no longer a shackle on creativity.

This possibility is not science fiction. It exists in the world of industrial-grade large-scale 3D printing. This field is no longer limited to small gadgets on the desktop, but focuses on breaking through the limits of size, using powerful equipment and advanced technology to directly transform grand design blueprints into complete giant objects. cutting and splicing and realize the “one-piece molding” manufacturing revolution? This article will take you to find out.

A quick guide to the big names and experts in large-scale 3D printing

It’s important to understand the difference between these two types of companies. Do you want to invest in equipment to produce it yourself, or do you just want to get a finished product for a project? This determines who you should go to.

Next, this article will take a deep look at the key players in these two types of large-scale 3D printing, understand their respective technologies, advantages, and how they can bring your large-scale design dreams into the real world in one go and in one piece.

Here’s What You’ll Learn:

•  Unifying the playing field: How to define “large-scale 3D printing”? A complete analysis from size, application to technology.
• Two core camps: equipment manufacturers vs. service providers – who is the real industry leader?
• Top enterprise map: A comprehensive overview of global large-scale 3D printing equipment giants and professional service providers (including Modix, BigRep, Massivit, etc.).
• Practical case revealed: How to use integrated FDM printing to deliver a 1.8-meter car bumper in 7 days, with a 70% cost reduction?
• Key decision guide: 5 dimensions to teach you how to choose a reliable large-scale 3D printing service provider (equipment/materials/experience/support/logistics).
• Authoritative FAQs: Deciphering market myths
  ✓ Who is the real leader in the niche?
  ✓ How to calculate the cost of large-scale printing?
  ✓ Why is engineering capability more important than machine size?
  

Why should you trust this guide? Practical experience from LS Large Scale Printing Center

I am Longsheng, an engineer at LS Large Scale Printing Center. Here, “large scale” is not a slogan, but an engineering reality that we must solve every day in the workshop. We deal with not only giant models, but also the physical challenges that come with it:

How to fight warping? Deformation of parts over 1 meter during printing and cooling is normal, which is related to material behavior and thermal stress control.

How to support deadweight? Designing large structural parts, especially the stacking of layers during printing, requires precise mechanical calculations and support strategies. A weak point can cause collapse.

How to deliver safely? Printing is just the beginning. Safely packaging and transporting a fragile part of the same size to prevent damage during transportation is also critical.

Every suggestion in this guide comes from our actual combat. I once led the use of Modix large-scale printers to print wing aerodynamic test models at full scale of 1:1 for aviation customers. That print lasted more than 120 hours. Over five days and five nights, any minor mistake – temperature fluctuation, extrusion abnormality or support failure – may make the entire model scrapped, which will not only cause huge losses, but also delay the customer’s key research and development. This made us deeply understand the importance of “details determine success or failure” in large-scale printing.

This guide condenses the LS team’s experience of tens of thousands of hours of focusing on large-scale printing, and is the crystallization of countless successes and failures. It comes from the real battles of our engineers beside the machine, in the software, and in the packaging area, aiming to help you avoid the “pitfalls” we have stepped on and achieve your large-scale printing goals more efficiently and reliably.

Defining the playing field: What exactly is “large-scale 3D printing”?

“Before we can discuss who is the leader, we must first agree on the standard: how big is ‘big’?”

Summary of core dimensions

 Defined by size

“Big” is first of all a physical concept. A simple and practical standard is that any printed object with a single-side size significantly exceeding 300 mm (about 1 foot) and that cannot be formed in one go on a standard desktop or professional-grade printer (usually refers to equipment with a build volume of less than 0.5 cubic meters) can be included in the category of large-scale 3D printing.

• Critical point significance: 300mm is a common watershed. Beyond this size, the printer’s structure (frame, motion system), thermal management (heating bed, chamber), material handling (large rolls of consumables, extrusion volume) and software (large model slicing, path planning) all face qualitative improvement requirements.
• “Giant” scale: The size of truly “giant” 3D printing is often measured in meters (m) (for example, 1m x 1m x 1m or even larger). This type of printing usually requires customized industrial-grade equipment, dedicated material delivery systems, and complex support and curing solutions, targeting architectural components, large transportation components, and super-large sculptures.

The core of size definition lies in breaking through the physical limitations of conventional equipment.

Defined by application

Size is the basis, but the value of “large scale” is ultimately reflected in the practical problems that it can solve that small-scale printing cannot. Key application areas include:

Prototype verification:

• Automotive panels/components: Manufacture prototypes such as full-size car doors for assembly verification, etc.
• Furniture: Print complete chairs, etc., evaluate ergonomics, etc.
• Consumer product shells: Produce large shells or whole machine models such as home appliances for functional testing, etc., which can eliminate traditional mold manufacturing and accelerate design iterations.

Manufacturing tools:

• Giant fixtures & fixtures: Customize large, lightweight and complex tools for aircraft assembly, etc. to improve assembly accuracy and efficiency.
• Large molds & cores: Low-volume or prototype molds for casting, etc., which can shorten tooling preparation time, reduce costs, and achieve complex geometric shape processing.

End-use parts:

• Small batch customized hulls/components: Manufacture yacht hulls and other parts.
• UAV shells/frames: Produce lightweight structural parts such as large industrial drones.
• Art installations & architectural components: Create large sculptures, etc., realize small-batch production of complex geometric shapes, and avoid the high cost of traditional mold making.

The core of the application definition is to meet the direct manufacturing needs of “large size”, “integrated” or “small batch complex parts”.

Mainstream large-scale printing technology and characteristics

1. FDM/FFF (fused deposition modeling): the most common and cost-effective large-scale printing technology. Using thermoplastic filaments, the material selection is wide and the cost is low. The advantages are mature equipment, low material cost, simple maintenance, and the ability to print large solid parts; the challenges are obvious layer patterns, low surface finish, slow printing speed (solid large parts), support structure required, and significant anisotropy.
2. SLA/DLP/MSLA (photocuring): used for large models with high precision, high details and smooth surfaces (such as precision prototypes, etc.). Use liquid photosensitive resin and cure layer by layer with ultraviolet light. The advantages are high precision and surface quality, and strong detail expression; the challenges are that the cost is much higher than FDM (equipment and materials), the resin performance is not as good as thermoplastics, cleaning and secondary curing are required after printing, and large-scale equipment is rare and expensive.
3. Unique and innovative technology: Gel dispensing printing (GDP) such as Massivit 3D, uses light to cure gel-like materials, and a large-caliber print head extrudes and deposits at high speed and cures with ultraviolet light. The advantage is that the printing speed is extremely fast and it is good at making huge hollow objects with almost no support. It is positioned as a large-scale rapid manufacturing for visual prototypes, displays, props, film and television entertainment, activities and other industries.
4. Other technologies: large-scale binder jetting (such as for sand molds/metals), large-scale particle/powder bed fusion (under development), etc. are also gradually entering the large-size field. The choice of technology needs to weigh cost, speed, accuracy, material properties, surface quality and application requirements.

Unify the scale of “big”

Defining “large-scale 3D printing” is not simply measuring the size. It is a comprehensive concept that integrates physical scale breakthroughs (>300mm, moving towards meter level), application scenario expansion (large prototypes, large tools, large parts) and specific technical capabilities (FDM cost-effectiveness, SLA high precision, GDP high speed and large size).

• Size is the threshold: It defines the boundaries of traditional desktop/professional equipment capabilities.
• Application is the soul: It reveals the core value of large-scale printing to solve practical engineering and manufacturing pain points.
• Technology is the engine: Different technical paths provide diverse solutions for achieving “big”, each with its own focus.

Only by reaching a consensus on the three dimensions of size, application and technology can we truly define the arena of “large-scale 3D printing” and lay a solid and comparable foundation for subsequent discussions on leaders, technology trends and market potential. Unifying the scale of “big” is the first step to start this giant dialogue.

Market Leader Map: Get to know the industry giants

“To understand who is the largest 3D printing company, you need to distinguish between ‘people who make guns’ and ‘people who use guns’.”

Overview of core players

Camp 1: Equipment manufacturers – founders of technology

Role: R&D/sales of large industrial 3D printers (such as building components, automotive prototypes, etc.).

Other companies: CEAD (ship composite material printing), Thermwood (five-axis linkage large machine tool)

Camp 2: Service providers – implementers of ideas

Role: Operate large-scale equipment and provide end-to-end printing services.

Case Study: Creating a 1:1 Scale Bumper Model for an Automotive Design Studio

“A new bumper design in the auto industry has to undergo rigorous appearance review and wind tunnel testing before it can be sent to expensive mold production. The choice is based on a high-fidelity 1:1 physical model.”

Customer pain points:

The studio was required to provide a 1:1 (approximately 1.8m x 0.6m x 0.5m) physical front bumper prototype of the new SUV to conduct critical appearance check and wind tunnel analysis under emergency. They were under twin pressures:

• Time pressure: The available prototype had to be obtained in 10 days in order to fall back into the schedule of the design review.
• Cost and performance requirements: Traditional CNC machining or re-molding of the fiberglass mold costs 3-4 weeks and tens of thousands of dollars; the block bonding technology of traditional 3D printing cannot support wind tunnel testing alone and is laborious for post-processing.

LS’s engineering solution:

We accurately identified the underlying requirements of the customer: speed of delivery, great size, and overall structural strength. Based on that, we provided the following engineering solutions:
(1)Large-scale integrated printing: We made use of a large industrial-grade FDM printer with a molding volume of over 2 meters in the LS workshop to make sure that the entire bumper was printed as one single continuous structure, eliminating the strength hazard caused by the bonding seam completely.

(2)Material choice: We proposed and used ASA high-performance engineering plastics. Besides having superior mechanical strength and toughness similar to ABS, ASA has excellent UV resistance and weather resistance and is thus extremely suitable for verification of prototype of automotive exterior parts to ensure stable performance during subsequent tests.

(3)Intelligent process optimization: Our engineers meticulously optimized the placement angle of the model and mapped out the slicing strategy before printing, lowering the support structure, holding the printing quality of the principal surfaces (such as styling feature lines and grille areas), and strictly controlling the printing process. This one-body large-scale printing process took almost 90 hours.

(4)Successful post-processing: After printing, we had manually removed the support and performed necessary light surface polishing to meet the customer’s overall requirements for appearance inspection.

Deliverables and value:

(1)Speed ​​breakthrough: It only took 7 days from data receipt to delivery, a substantially shorter period than the 3-4 weeks of the traditional method, enabling the customer to hold the critical review in time.
(2)Significant cost reduction: The project cost was reduced overall by about 70% compared to the traditional CNC machining method, and the customer avoided tens of thousands of dollars of R&D cost.
(3)Performance attained: The shipped one-piece ASA bumper prototype has excellent structural integrity and successfully passed the design review and ensuing low-speed wind tunnel testing.

Additional benefits:
Designers can perform natural accuracy touch testing on the high-fidelity physical model and incidentally discovered two design detail optimization points difficult to identify in the virtual model, and thus improved final design quality.

Benefits imperative:
This case deeply demonstrates that the success of 3D printing of massive pieces is far from relying on the magnitude of the machine. It relies less on the sophisticated analytic capabilities of service providers like LS – like exact demand analysis, scientific material selection, process correct planning and optimization, and the ability to finally ship a high-reliability physical component that can directly solve the customer’s underlying issues. At LS, we rely on these strengths to help automotive design teams transcend traditional limitations and accelerate the innovation process.

FAQ- Answer your last question about large-scale printing

1. Who is the market leader in 3D printing?

“There is no single answer to this question because it is highly dependent on the market segment. In the field of industrial polymer 3D printing, Stratasys (inventor of PolyJet technology) and 3D Systems are the traditional leaders. For metal 3D printing, EOS and GE Additive are in the lead. The situation is different in the field of large-scale printing, which you asked about. It is a vibrant ecosystem composed of equipment innovators like BigRep, Modix, Massivit and professional service providers like us who focus on large-scale part production. There is no single monopoly.”

2. How do I choose a large-scale 3D printing service provider?

“There are five key areas to focus on when choosing a large-scale 3D printing service provider: First, confirm that their equipment can build at a maximum size that meets your part requirements. Second, check whether they offer the specific engineering-grade materials that are necessary for your project. Third, ask to see their past case studies to ensure that they have successfully completed projects similar to yours. Fourth, evaluate the level of engineering support they provide, such as value-added services such as file checks and structural optimization suggestions. Finally, and this is a key point that is unique to large parts, be sure to understand their logistics capabilities and experience in handling the packaging and transportation of large parts.”

3. How much does large-scale 3D printing cost?

“The price of large-scale 3D printing is mainly driven by three key factors: printing time (which is the main cost component), material consumption, and the time and resources required for labor and post-processing processes. Due to the large size of the parts, the cost of logistics (including professional packaging and transportation) also becomes an important component that cannot be ignored. Therefore, the price will vary significantly depending on the specific size, complexity, material selection and post-processing requirements of the project. The most effective way to get an accurate quote is to directly upload your 3D model file, and the service provider will provide you with a detailed customized quote based on these specific parameters.”

Conclusion

When exploring the broad landscape of large-scale 3D printing, we clearly realized that its ecosystem is driven by two core forces: “equipment manufacturers” who manufacture cutting-edge equipment and “service providers” who transform technology into actual value. For companies with large and complex project missions, directly challenging the high threshold of equipment procurement, maintenance and professional technology is not the best choice. The answer lies in finding a strong and reliable 3D printing service partner – this is the core value of the question “What are the large 3D printing companies?”

These professional service providers (such as LS) are the key bridge for your grand ideas to land. They not only operate industrial-grade large-format, high-precision 3D printing equipment clusters, eliminating the constraints of equipment size on your innovation, but also gather engineering wisdom that is well versed in material properties, structural optimization and post-processing processes. This means that you can directly use cutting-edge manufacturing capabilities to efficiently and economically transform digital models on the screen into stunning entities without huge capital investment or long technical accumulation – whether it is architectural components, large-scale artworks, functional prototypes or complex tooling fixtures.

So when you think, “What are the big 3D printing companies?”, what you’re really looking for is a partner who can carry the ambition and turn “big” ideas into “big” reality.

Act now and let your imagination break through the boundaries!
At LS, we are born for grandeur. Upload your large CAD files to our platform and get an instant preliminary quote. Our engineering team will quickly connect with you to discuss in depth how to transform your great ideas into solid reality in one step with professional strength and advanced equipment. Start your journey of large-scale manufacturing, now!

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