Boston Microfabrication – BMF among friends – is one of the biggest names in 3D printing of tiny things. The company just announced the Series C to continue its journey, as it announced that it has doubled its installed base in the past year.
“Our business has grown strongly and we plan to use the new capital to further expand our capabilities,” said John Kawola, CEO of BMF. “Our global reach has been appreciated and appreciated by our customers, and our system is now being used worldwide for even prototype parts that were previously unprintable. 3D and promote end-use part manufacturing where conventional methods are difficult.”
The type of 3D printing process that BMF offers to customers is suitable for small markets, with high precision. BMF’s machine uses what the company calls Projection Micro Stereolithography (PµSL) technology, which uses light and photosensitive resins to create extremely high-resolution parts – capable of detail up to 2μm and layer thickness from 5-20 μm.
It’s hard to describe in words such small parts – hence the photo of the matchstick and small gears at the top of this article. It messes with the mind and opens up some pretty incredible use cases for 3D printing.
These little guys are 3D printed glaucoma stents; a medical device that can be inserted into the eye to help treat glaucoma. You may recognize the base on which they are placed: a penny. The company case study of these tiny devices It was fascinating. Image credits: BMF (Opens in a new window)
The company has had some rather unusual growth over the past year; they claim that they have doubled their installation base which means over 200 customer locations around the world. BMF lists advanced manufacturers of electronics, medical equipment, optics and research laboratories as its largest customer group. It also expanded its operations globally, with facilities in Boston, Mass, USA and Shenzhen, China, with additional locations in Chongqing, China and Tokyo.
BMF today announced it has closed a Series C round, totaling $43 million. The company was not willing to share the terms or pricing of the round of negotiations, led by Shenzhen Capital Group Co., Ltd. It will use the funding to drive product development, sales and marketing, as well as support customers as it continues to expand and serve its global customer base.
The company has put together a video showing what they do, which includes some 3D printer porn which is pretty handy if that’s your thing like mine:
