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Sun Metalon

HardwareWood Dale, IL, USA and Kawasaki, JapanFounded 2021· One of 1708 Hardware companies tracked by AMPulse

Metal 3D printers that leverage proprietary metal heating technology to recycle and refine metal waste, significantly reducing CO2 emissions.

CEO / Founder
Kazuhiko Nishioka
Team Size
11-50
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$40M
Latest Round
Series A
Key Investors
JIC Venture Growth Investments, HITE Hedge Asset Management, Sumitomo Corporation Global Metals, UTEC, Globis Capital Partners, D4V, i-nest capital, Scrum Ventures, Berkeley SkyDeck, Shimadzu Future Innovation Fund, Airbus Ventures, Nippon Steel, Japan Bank for International Cooperation

Technology & Products

Key Products

Technologies and solutions for manufacturing and recycling metals with significantly reduced CO2 emissions, including proprietary metal heating technology and microwave separation for oil from metal waste.

Technological Advantage

Enables sustainable, cost-effective metal production with significant reductions in CO2 emissions.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Cost-effective metal production with significant reductions in CO2 emissions through innovative recycling processes.

How They Differentiate

Extraordinarily fast and cost-effective metal 3D printers with a strong focus on decarbonization and sustainability.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Automotive, Construction Machinery, and Heavy Industries

Industry Verticals

["Automotive","Construction Machinery","Heavy industry"]

Competitors

Velo3D, Fluent Metal, Arcam EBM

Growth & Milestones

Major Milestones

["Raised $21 million in Series A funding","Adoption of high-speed metal AM technology by Toyota"]

Notable Customers

Toyota Motor Corporation, Komatsu, construction equipment manufacturers

https://sunmetalon.com

Why this company matters

Sun Metalon positions itself at the intersection of metal additive manufacturing and industrial sustainability. The company has developed metal 3D printers that use a proprietary heating technology to recycle and refine metal waste directly into usable feedstock, bypassing traditional energy-intensive processes. This approach aims to reduce CO2 emissions while lowering material costs for metal AM production.

The core technology centers on a low-energy heating method paired with microwave separation to remove oil and contaminants from metal waste. This enables the printers to convert scrap into powder or wire suitable for additive manufacturing without the emissions typically associated with virgin metal production. The process is designed for high throughput, targeting cost parity with conventional metal forming.

Sun Metalon's target customers include automotive OEMs, construction machinery manufacturers, and heavy industry. Toyota Motor Corporation has adopted the high-speed metal AM technology, and Komatsu is listed as a customer alongside other construction equipment manufacturers. The company has raised $40 million from investors including JIC Venture Growth Investments, Airbus Ventures, Nippon Steel, and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

The company's competitive moat rests on its integrated recycling and printing workflow, which differentiates it from conventional metal AM hardware makers like Velo3D and Arcam EBM. The open question is whether the recycled feedstock can match the mechanical properties of virgin powders for demanding aerospace and automotive applications, and whether the process scales economically beyond niche waste streams.