Mantle, an Additive Manufacturing startup based in San Francisco, California, USA, has launched its TrueShape™ technology, a proprietary AM process to make high-precision metal parts. Having previously secured an unannounced $13 million investment by Foundation Capital, Hypertherm Ventures, Future Shape, 11.2 capital, Plug and Play Ventures, and Corazon Capital, the company has developed what it believes is the most precise and efficient metal AM technology for the tooling market.
Historically, product development cycles have been gated by tooling, since manufacturing companies cannot launch new products until the exact moulds and dies to produce them are created. These tools are made from high-hardness steel through a multi-step process that includes programming, cutting, and finishing the tools. This intensive process takes months and can cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Mantle’s process takes just days, which allows companies to deploy new tools within a few weeks while cutting costs by at least half.
. . .
