The ExOne Company and SGL Group Announce Availability of CARBOPRINT®

The ExOne Company (NASDAQ:XONE) (“ExOne” or “the Company”), a global provider of three-dimensional (“3D”) printing machines and 3D printed products to industrial customers, announced that SGL Group is bringing carbon and graphite components created using ExOne’s 3D binder jet printing technology to the market under the brand name CARBOPRINT^®.

“ExOne has formed a unique collaborative relationship with SGL Group who has developed a material that is ideally suited for our binder jetting technology,” said Rick Lucas, ExOne’s Chief Technology Officer. “Each party brings their expertise: SGL Group offers extensive knowledge on raw material and powder preparation, as well as versatile technologies for post-processing carbon components. As the leading supplier for industrial binder jetting technology, ExOne contributes its competencies in 3D printing. This technology enables not only the production of small prototypes, but also efficient serial production and fast development of customer-specific solutions.”

As the carbon body is initially porous after printing, SGL Group post-processing, such as polymer impregnation or silicon or metal infiltration, play a major role. These additional processes allow the adjustment of versatile material properties to the specific application. Initial material properties for carbon 3D printing along with the relevant finishing processes can be found in the SGL Group CARBOPRINT® product brochure.

Now that the initial material development study is complete, SGL is engineering components and transforming the extreme degree of design freedom in 3D printing into real benefits for customers. Thanks to the basic properties of carbon, such as high chemical stability and good electrical and thermal conductivity, first trial components are being developed for testing in applications in the areas of chemical apparatus construction and environmental technology. Specific examples include heat exchangers and components for distillation columns, as well as pump components made of siliconized 3D-printed carbon.

CARBOPRINT^® was presented officially to a larger application specialist audience for the first time at the Berlin Waste Management and Energy Conference in late January.

About ExOne

ExOne is a global provider of 3D printing machines and 3D printed and other products, materials and services to industrial customers. ExOne's business primarily consists of manufacturing and selling 3D printing machines and printing products to specification for its customers using its installed base of 3D printing machines. ExOne’s machines serve direct and indirect applications. Direct printing produces a component; indirect printing makes a tool to produce a component. ExOne offers pre-production collaboration and print products for customers through its network of ExOne Adoption Centers (EACs) and Production Service Centers (PSCs). ExOne also supplies the associated materials, including consumables and replacement parts, and other services, including training and technical support that is necessary for purchasers of its 3D printing machines to print products. The Company believes that its ability to print in a variety of industrial materials, as well as its industry-leading volumetric output (as measured by build box size and printing speed) uniquely position ExOne to serve the needs of industrial customers.