Fluent Metal

Fluent Metal developed a novel approach to 3D printing that enables printing with most metals and alloys. Founded in 2020 by Peter Schmitt, PhD, Fluent aims to deliver the promise of 3D printing to industrial applications by making reliable precision parts anywhere in the world.

Repair and maintenance of machinery and vehicles require a readily accessible inventory of innumerable parts, often in remote locations. The ability to produce the required parts on demand and on location, whether that be in the desert or at sea, could radically increase efficiency and outperform even the most effective supply chains.

Fluent Metal took a quantum leap up in the design of their printer. Their wire-based system removes the need for powders and lasers, addressing several challenges facing the 3D printing and broader metal fabrication markets: no waste, lower energy needs, quicker changeover, less variability between items, and no inherent limit on size. It is the only system to date that can work with alloys, a critical requirement for most industrial needs.

E15 found Fluent Metal and Peter through our network of investors and partners from previous investments. Dr. Schmitt has a range of talents and interests that we find can make for compelling products and creative leadership. In addition to his PhD from MIT and his passion for the mechanics of robotics and 3D printing, he also collaborates with artists to use his printers to create “unique mechatronic artifacts or originalMachines”. This gives him deep insight into what the most creative users want from the products, which is invaluable when making design and manufacturing decisions. He knows what it takes to get a project done, whether building the machine or using it.

E15 invested in Fluent Metal during their seed round in April 2023. At that time the team was small and focused on the technology, so we added our resources to help look ahead, define key priorities and milestones. As the team has hit targets or roadblocks, we have worked with them to push through, adjust course, or plan next steps. We are looking forward to using the printers to produce custom jewelry and anything else we can use to show off the capabilities of the technology.

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