07-20-2022: Essentium announced acquiring Collider
Collider was the creator of an innovative hybrid manufacturing technology combining DLP with injection molding.
On July 20, 2021, Essentium – the industrial high-speed 3Dprinting solutions provider, announced the signing of a letter of intent to acquire Collider – the creator of an innovative hybrid manufacturing technology that combined 3D printing with photocurable resins and injection molding. The integration of Collider’s offerings into Essentium’s portfolio was intended to drive new growth paths while enabling manufacturers to speed up the production of parts and innovation.
Ultimately, Essentium itself was formally acquired in January 2024 by another AM company – Nexa3D.
3D printing and injection molding often intersect. In 2017, the American startup Collider announced the launch of a device that combined both manufacturing methods. The system, called Orchid, was a hybrid of a 3Dprinter and an injection molding machine that significantly accelerated and simplified the prototyping process.
The process named "Programmable Tooling" involved using DLP photopolymer technology to 3D print a thin, water-soluble shell that acted as a mold. Then, thermoset material was injected into this mold, which solidified to create the final part. The mold was dissolved, leaving the finished part.
This technology enabled the production of parts from high-quality materials not available for 3D printing, such as polyurethanes, silicones, epoxies, and specific carbon fiber composites. It offered benefits in terms of both production speed and cost, allowing parts to be created in less time and at lower costs compared to traditional injection molding methods.
In July 2021, Essentium – a manufacturer of high-speed, industrial FDM/FFF 3D printers decided to acquire Collider to expand its product portfolio. At the same time, the company was on track for SPAC merger with Atlantic Coastal Acquisition Corporation to go public. The deal collapsed, stalling the expansion plans. As a result, Essentium lost the deal with Collider. Unfortunately, Collider closed shop in early 2022. Later, Collider Founder Graham Bredemeyer went off to work for robotics software company Adaxis.
Meanwhile, in the fall of 2023, the first information appeared that Essentium itself could be acquired by another company – Nexa3D, a manufacturer of ultrafast resin and SLS 3D printers. The acquisition was approved in November 2023 and formally confirmed in January 2024.