ExOne (XONE +0.00%) is the only 3-D printing company that uses binder jetting technology. In the following video, 3-D printing specialist Steve Heller asks Jared Helfrich, global director at ExOne, what makes binder jetting unique and how it differs from the competition. Going forward, ExOne investors should monitor over the long-term how widely accepted binder jetting becomes in the market place. Additionally, Exone investors can also monitor how the company's long-term gross profit margin is trending to gain insight into whether ExOne's binder jetting technology is a product sufficiently differentiated from the competition.
A full transcript follows the video.
Steve Heller: In terms of ExOne's positioning in the marketplace you guys work with binder jetting technology, you're the only company out there with binder jetting technology is that correct?
Jared Helfrich: Yes.
Heller: So that's obviously a differentiator so if you could explain to our viewers here, what does binder jetting technology -- how does it differentiate itself from the DMLS or direct metal laser sintering? You know, everyone at this conference seems to be touting DMLS so I was wondering if you can sort of talk about the advantages of binder jetting and what makes ExOne unique as a result of that?
Helfrich: Yeah, binder jetting is basically a process where you're laying down powdered metal or powdered sand and you're coming over with a print head and laying down the binder on top and building your part up layer by layer. The advantages are in terms of volume metric output you get higher volume metric output from the machines. In terms of build speed you're going to see higher build speeds as a result of that. Actually, the powdered bed in and of itself is its own support structure so you won't see support structures in our [ExOne's] process.
Heller: So there's less post-processing?
Helfrich: There is post-processing in our [ExOne's] machines but it's usually -- for sand there's no post-processing, for the metal there is a sintering process.
Heller: Right, you guys are putting it into a furnace to actually harden the part, is that correct?
Helfrich: Correct, correct.
