Desktop Metal Metal Additive Manufacturing

Desktop Metal Shop System

$200,000 - $300,000 (complete three-station system) Updated 2026-03-16

Key Specifications

Weight

110 kg (243 lb)

build volume

350 x 220 x 220 mm (13.8 x 8.7 x 8.7 in)

technology

Bound Metal Deposition (BMD)

layer thickness

50 - 150 µm

max part density

96 - 99% (post-sinter)

materials

17-4 PH Stainless Steel, 316L Stainless, H13 Tool Steel, 4140 Low-Alloy Steel, Inconel 625, Copper

Overview

The Desktop Metal Shop System is Desktop Metal's high-throughput BMD platform designed for machine shops, production environments, and manufacturing floors where the office-friendly form factor of the Studio System+ is still desirable but higher part volume and larger build capacity are needed. With a build volume of 350 x 220 x 220 mm — 20% larger than the Studio System+ — and a higher-capacity sinter furnace, the Shop System targets production runs rather than individual prototypes, achieving substantially higher throughput per day when multiple build plates cycle through the workflow.

Like all Desktop Metal BMD systems, the Shop System uses metal rods embedded with binder to extrude green parts layer by layer. The green part is then debinded in a fluid station and sintered to near-full density. The Shop System's larger furnace chamber can accommodate more parts per cycle and reaches operating temperature faster than the Studio System+ furnace, reducing per-cycle time in the sinter step that typically dominates total production time. The system is rated for high-mix, low-volume production environments where the same machine runs multiple alloys across a shift.

The Shop System supports the same alloy library as the Studio System+, including 17-4 PH stainless, 316L, H13 tool steel, 4140, Inconel 625, and copper. It runs on standard facility power — 208-240V single phase — without requiring 3-phase or inert gas infrastructure. Desktop Metal's Fabricate software handles the critical sintering shrinkage compensation automatically, though shops producing tight-tolerance parts typically develop process data over time to refine the default compensation values for their most common geometries.

The Shop System is priced between $200,000 and $300,000 complete, positioning it as a mid-tier metal AM investment for machine shops looking to add in-house metal printing without the full infrastructure commitment of LPBF. The target customer is a job shop or tier-2 supplier that currently outsources metal AM prototypes and tooling inserts, and wants to bring that capability in-house to reduce lead time and improve design iteration speed.

Full Specifications

Parameter	Value
Build Volume	350 x 220 x 220 mm (13.8 x 8.7 x 8.7 in)
Technology	Bound Metal Deposition (BMD)
Layer Thickness	50 - 150 µm
Max Part Density	96 - 99% (post-sinter)
Materials	17-4 PH Stainless Steel, 316L Stainless, H13 Tool Steel, 4140 Low-Alloy Steel, Inconel 625, Copper
Feedstock Form	Metal rod (closed cartridge)
Debinder Type	Proprietary fluid debind station
Furnace Capacity	Larger than Studio System+ — multi-plate sintering per cycle
Furnace Max Temp	1,400°C
Surface Finish Sintered	Ra 4 - 8 µm (material dependent)
Power Requirements	208-240V single phase — no 3-phase required
System Components	Printer + Debinder + Furnace (three stations)
Build Sizes	350 x 220 x 200 mm350 x 220 x 150 mm350 x 220 x 100 mm350 x 220 x 50 mm
Resolution	1600 x 1600 DPI
Floor Space	161.8 x 138.0 x 75.4 cm(63.7 x 54.3 x 29.7 in)
Dimensions	1100 x 910 x 740 mm (43.3 x 35,8 x 29.1 in)
Machine Weight	110 kg (243 lb)
Power Requirement	230 VAC, 50/60 Hz, 17.5 A, 2.97 kW
Powder Management	Built in powder recovery and sievingControlled metering
Sieving Rate	5 kg/hr
Gas	External gas hookup
Peak Temp	1400 °C
Flexible Batch Jobsyour Browser Does Not Support The Video Tagexpand Button	The Shop System™ is a tooling-free manufacturing process. Change over to a new job at the press of a button and process multiple complex jobs without the need for custom setups.
Industries	Explore applications for 3D printing across a range of industries.

Specifications sourced from desktopmetal.com — verified 2026-03-28

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

Larger build volume (350x220x220mm) and higher-capacity furnace enable higher daily throughput than the Studio System+ for production part runs
Office- and shop-floor-safe installation without loose powder, inert gas infrastructure, or explosion-proof room requirements
Supports full Desktop Metal alloy library including H13 tool steel and Inconel 625 for functional tooling and high-temperature applications
Single-vendor three-station workflow reduces integration complexity and support overhead compared to mixing LPBF printer with third-party furnace

Limitations

BMD throughput and density (96-99%) still trails LPBF for high-volume production of complex, tight-tolerance parts
Sintering shrinkage compensation requires process development investment for each alloy and geometry class to achieve repeatable tolerances
Higher capital cost than the Studio System+ with incremental throughput gains — ROI depends on sustained production volume

Best For

Machine shops and job shops adding in-house metal AM for tooling inserts, jigs, and fixtures without LPBF infrastructure investment Tier-2 and tier-3 suppliers producing low-volume metal components in 17-4 PH or 316L where outsourced lead time is a bottleneck Manufacturing engineering teams iterating on production tooling designs with same-day print capability and next-day sintered parts Organizations scaling up from the Studio System+ that need higher throughput without stepping up to LPBF system costs

Frequently Asked Questions

01 What is the Desktop Metal Shop System price?

The complete Shop System (printer, debinder, furnace) typically costs $200,000 to $300,000 depending on configuration and options. This is roughly 30-50% more than the Studio System+ but offers a larger build volume and higher-capacity sinter furnace for increased throughput. Compared to entry-level LPBF systems at $400,000+, the Shop System remains significantly lower in capital cost.

02 How does the Shop System differ from the Studio System+?

The Shop System has a larger build volume (350x220x220mm vs 300x200x200mm), a larger furnace chamber that can sinter more parts per cycle, and is designed for higher daily throughput in production-oriented environments. The Studio System+ targets engineering offices and prototyping labs. Both use the same BMD process, alloy library, and Fabricate software.

03 What facility requirements does the Desktop Metal Shop System need?

The Shop System runs on 208-240V single phase power — no 3-phase required. No inert gas supply or explosion-proof enclosure is needed due to the closed metal rod feedstock. A ventilated space for the debinder (similar to standard solvent ventilation) and adequate floor space for the three stations is the primary requirement. It is compatible with standard machine shop environments.

04 What tolerances can the Desktop Metal Shop System achieve?

Typical post-sinter tolerances are ±0.5% of nominal dimension with a minimum of ±0.2-0.3 mm. Sintering shrinkage of 15-20% is compensated by Fabricate software, but shops building a production part library typically develop calibration data for each alloy over time. For tolerances tighter than ±0.1 mm, post-sinter machining is recommended.

05 Is the Desktop Metal Shop System suitable for production vs prototyping?

The Shop System bridges prototyping and low-volume production. For high-mix, low-volume production — tooling inserts, fixtures, small structural brackets, spare parts — it is well suited. For high-volume production runs requiring sub-0.1mm tolerances and >99% density, LPBF systems or traditional manufacturing are more appropriate. Most Shop System customers use it for 1-50 part production runs alongside CNC machining.