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Sun Metalon

HardwareWood Dale, IL, USA and Kawasaki, JapanFounded 2021· One of 1733 Hardware companies tracked by AMPulse

On-site metal recycling technology (Venus-L6 furnace) that converts contaminated metal swarf/sludge into reusable metal briquettes with zero 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

AM patents

AM-relevant patents linked to this company.

Patents
22
Granted
6
Families
6

Leading domains: material (22), process (21), equipment (20)

Filings by year: 2022: 2 · 2021: 20

  1. METHOD FOR PRODUCING METAL SOLID117062683 · CN
  2. Method for manufacturing bound solids2026088456 · JP
  3. JOINED SOLID PRODUCTION METHOD20240189902 · US
  4. 結合固体の製造方法07450312|1995450312 · JP
  5. Metal solid production method12115579 · US

Funding rounds

  • Grant$898.5K2026-02Lead: Colorado Energy Office · Source: Colorado Energy Office, Sun Metalon Official
  • Series A Extension$9.1M2025-05-01Lead: Shimadzu Future Innovation Fund · Source: The Bridge Japan, PR Times
  • Series A$21.0M2024-10-01Lead: JIC Venture Growth Investments · Source: Sun Metalon Official, VoxelMatters
  • Pre-Series A Extension$2.0M2023-04-01Source: PR Newswire, VoxelMatters
  • Pre-Series A$5.6M2022-10-01Lead: Globis Capital Partners · Source: PR Newswire

Why this company matters

AMPulse analysis, not a company disclosure

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.