Interview published in January 2022. Roles, network figures, services and the 2022 outlook describe the situation presented at that time.
Content created in partnership with Xometry.
Online manufacturing marketplaces connect companies seeking parts with workshops able to produce them. Xometry uses this model to offer additive and conventional processes, notably in Europe and North America.
Founded in the US in 2013, Xometry provides an on-demand manufacturing platform, or Manufacturing as a Service (MaaS), offering access to a network of machine shops and 3D printing service bureaus.
“The system is pretty simple: clients need to source their parts, we have the capacity and the access to a large network of carefully vetted providers who can take upon the clients’ projects. The clients/users can upload their CAD files on the online platform, choose between a large choice of manufacturing technologies (for example, in Europe we currently have 14 technologies available), materials and finishing options, get an instant quote and then order their parts. Once the order is done, we match the project with the most qualified and suitable manufacturing partner. At the same time Xometry takes care of the logistics, communication and quality control”, Dmitry Kafidov, Managing Director at Xometry Europe, told 3D ADEPT Media.
According to Xometry, its quoting engine uses AI and machine learning to analyse 3D files and estimate prices for several processes. Instant quoting supports sourcing; it does not eliminate the feasibility, quality or compliance checks required for an order.
The offering described in this interview included FDM, MJF, SLS, SLA, DMLS, Carbon DLS and PolyJet, alongside CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, injection moulding and die casting. Together, these processes cover different metals and polymers, depending on the process and available materials.
“No matter whether the project is a prototype or the serial production of parts, we have the capacity to source it and produce it within a short amount of time”, Kafidov adds. And yes, before you ask, “the proportion of parts produced via traditional processes has always been higher, but the number of orders [they] receive for additively manufactured parts has been growing pretty fast over the past months and years.”
Watch the presentation video on YouTube
Here is the thing, the market is continuously growing and new companies keep emerging. So, how do we maintain growth in such a competitive market? Most importantly, how do we foster deeper, more profitable customer relationships?
From US to Europe and beyond…
In 2017, Xometry expanded its processes to include sheet metal and injection moulding. When announcing the Shift acquisition in December 2019, it reported raising $118 million since inception; that figure belongs to that historical milestone, not January 2022.
Network and software development accompanied this growth. The acquisition of Munich-based on-demand manufacturing marketplace Shift took place in November 2019 and was announced on 3 December 2019.
Renamed Xometry Europe, Shift supported expansion into twelve additional countries. In this interview, the company reported a more than tenfold increase in its monthly European customer base after its first year; the detailed scope of that metric was not specified. Other developments included ISO 9001:2015 quality management system certification, quoting within Autodesk Fusion 360 and die casting. The IPO concerned the Xometry group in 2021. Free shipping on selected 3D printing orders belonged to the commercial offering described at the time.
Documentary references: IPO filing and Xometry’s 2021 annual report.
According to the company’s Managing Director, “working with Xometry Europe gives one access to the production capacity of over 2000 vetted manufacturing workshops from more than 25 European countries. If we think worldwide, Xometry works in collaboration with more than 5000 manufacturing workshops.”
Being able to grow at such a fast pace in a MaaS business model lies in the ability to understand the two sides of the same coin: the supplier and the customer.
The Supplier vs the Customer
The model can help use available workshop capacity. Selecting a supplier near the customer may also reduce some transport, but an international platform does not guarantee local production for every part or identical prices, lead times and performance across suppliers.
At the time of the interview, Xometry highlighted manual feasibility checks, order support and resources on processes, design and materials. Delivery terms and service scope need to be checked for each order.
For suppliers and customers alike, the model’s value depends on matching the requirement, available capacity and project specifications.
Innovation and outlooks for 2022
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Xometry reported contributing to mask production projects and components for a device intended for air treatment. These examples illustrate its manufacturing services; they do not, on their own, rank benefits across sectors or establish a device’s health effectiveness.
“We saw an increased interest towards on-demand manufacturing overall. It boosted our development as people were looking for a more reliable and flexible supply chain”, the expert outlines.
The company presented development of its platform and quoting engine as its main software investment priorities at the time.
“The main investments are done on our platform and algorithm, the Instant Quoting Engine (IQE) because this is what our business is based on. And it did bring benefits to the company and helped us to expand. In 2022, Xometry will keep adding new technologies and materials to our offer as well as continuing further global expansion, for example, in the Asian region”, Kafidov concludes.
This content has been created in partnership with Xometry.
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