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AddiFab

ApplicationCopenhagen, DenmarkFounded 2017· One of 686 Application companies tracked by AMPulse

Pioneer of Freeform Injection Molding (FIM) technology combining 3D printing with injection molding - ACQUIRED by Nexa3D

CEO / Founder
Lasse G. Staal
Team Size
11-50
Stage
Acquired
Total Funding
$8.1M
Latest Round
Acquired
Key Investors
Nexa3D (Acquirer), Mitsubishi Chemical's venture arm

Technology & Products

Key Products

Freeform Injection Molding (FIM) technology, dissolvable tooling resins, CAD-to-Tool software

Technological Advantage

Proprietary FIM technology enables injection molding with 3D printed dissolvable molds, 5-10x cost reduction

Patent position

AddiFab filed 22 patent families across all years, with 41% filed through WO, 32% through US, and 27% through EP. AMPulse analysis

Filing momentum
0 families filed 2022–2024, 0 in 2019–2021
Filed in
WO 41%US 32%EP 27%

22 AM patent families in total. Recent years are still being published, so read a filing change against the same-office figure.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Bridge between 3D printing and injection molding - produce injection-molded parts 5-10x faster and cheaper

How They Differentiate

Unique combination of 3D printing and injection molding in single workflow, enhanced by integration with Nexa3D's ultrafast SLA 3D printers.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Manufacturing companies, injection molding shops, product developers

Industry Verticals

Manufacturing, Automotive, Consumer Products, Medical Devices

Competitors

N/A (Acquired by Nexa3D)

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

Acquired by Nexa3D after converting dozens of customers to digital tooling

Major Milestones

2017: Founded, 2019: EU grant €1.6M for ceramic/metal FIM, 2021: $6.5M funding from West Hill Capital, 2023: Acquired by Nexa3D

Notable Customers

PepsiCo, Wilson Sporting Goods

https://addifab.com

AM patents

AM-relevant patents linked to this company.

Patents
24
Granted
2
Families
22

Leading domains: process (24), equipment (19), material (4)

Filings by year: 2018: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 16

  1. ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING YIELD IMPROVEMENT03291968 · EP
  2. ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING DEVICE AND SYSTEM, MODULAR BUILD PLATFORM AND BUILD PLATFORM UNIT20200238615 · US
  3. SACRIFICIAL ADDITIVELY MANUFACTURED MOLDS FOR USE IN INJECTION MOLDING PROCESSES03651958 · EP
  4. ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING DEVICE AND SYSTEM FOR MANUFACTURING A SACRIFICIAL MOULD FOR CREATING AN OBJECT03429832 · EP
  5. ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING YIELD IMPROVEMENT03291967 · EP

Funding rounds

  • AcquisitionAcquired2023-04Source: Web
  • Series A$6.5M2021-04Lead: West Hill Capital · Source: Web
  • Grant€1.6M2019-01Source: EU

Why this company matters

AMPulse analysis, not a company disclosure

AddiFab pioneered Freeform Injection Molding (FIM), a hybrid process that replaces conventional steel or aluminum tooling with 3D-printed dissolvable molds. This approach allows product developers and injection molding shops to produce functional prototypes and low-volume parts without the lead time and expense of hard tooling. The company claims a 5-10x cost reduction compared to traditional injection molding for short runs.

The core technology relies on proprietary dissolvable tooling resins and a CAD-to-Tool software workflow. Users print a mold on a standard polymer extrusion (MEX) 3D printer, then use that mold in a conventional injection molding machine. After the part is formed, the mold is dissolved away, leaving a finished injection-molded part. This eliminates the need for mold design for ejection, cooling channels, and parting lines, dramatically simplifying the tooling process.

AddiFab targets manufacturing companies, injection molding shops, and product developers in automotive, consumer products, and medical devices. Named customers include PepsiCo and Wilson Sporting Goods. The company was acquired by Nexa3D in 2023, integrating FIM with Nexa3D's ultrafast SLA printers to create a digital tooling platform for industrial injection molding.

The acquisition by Nexa3D provides AddiFab with a larger distribution channel and complementary technology, but also ties its future to Nexa3D's strategic direction. The key open question is whether FIM can scale beyond prototyping and bridge the gap to production-grade tooling for higher-volume runs, where traditional metal molds remain more economical.