Tiertime
A global pioneer in additive manufacturing providing integrated FDM 3D printing solutions, including professional-grade hardware, proprietary slicing software, and specialized materials.
- CEO / Founder
- Allen Guo
- Team Size
- 201-500
- Stage
- Established
- Total Funding
- $17.8M
- Latest Round
- Venture Round
- Key Investors
- Dover Corporation, 华控基金, 2048 Capital, ByteDance (via Shuimu), Kickstarter backers
Technology & Products
Key Products
Tiertime offers a range of FDM 3D printers including the UP series (UP Plus 2, UP mini 2, UP Box, UP300, UP400, UP Mini3), Cetus2, and the industrial Inspire line. They also provide proprietary slicing software (UP Studio, UP Studio 3) and specialized materials.
Technological Advantage
Proprietary automatic calibration and support-generation algorithms; the X5 model features a unique 'vault' system for automated build-plate swapping, enabling 24/7 continuous production without manual intervention.
Patent position
Tiertime has 32 patent families across all years, compared with 116 for Creality and 119 for Anycubic. AMPulse analysis
- Filing momentum
- 1 families filed 2022–2024, 1 in 2019–2021
- Filed in
- CN 72%WO 22%US 6%EP 6%
- Named competitors, AM patent families
- Creality 116Anycubic 119
32 AM patent families in total. Recent years are still being published, so read a filing change against the same-office figure.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Delivers a 'Just-Hit-Print' experience by combining industrial-grade reliability and safety features with user-friendly software, making professional 3D printing accessible and easy to maintain.
How They Differentiate
Focuses on a 'Just-Hit-Print' workflow with industrial-grade reliability, featuring proprietary 'Smart Support' technology and the X5's unique automated build-plate swapping system for 24/7 continuous production.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
K-12 and STEM educators, professional engineers and designers, industrial manufacturers, and dental/healthcare practitioners.
Industry Verticals
Education (STEM/STEAM), Manufacturing & Prototyping, Healthcare & Dental, Aerospace, Architecture & Design
Competitors
Creality, Anycubic, SmartPie
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Estimated annual revenue between $25M - $50M; maintains a global distribution network serving over 50 countries with 200+ employees.
Major Milestones
Founded in 2003 as Beijing Yinhua, China's first 3D printer manufacturer., Launched the UP Plus in 2010, sparking the personal 3D printing explosion in China., Received strategic investment from Dover Corporation in January 2014., Launched the X5 Continuous Printing System in 2018, featuring automated build plate swapping., Official integration with OrcaSlicer in 2024 to enhance industrial software capabilities.
Notable Customers
360Fashion Network, Jared Fragd, Jay's 3D Printing Classroom
AM patents
AM-relevant patents linked to this company.
- Patents
- 34
- Granted
- 15
- Families
- 32
Leading domains: process (34), equipment (15), material (6)
Filings by year: 2025: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 3
- Split type spray head104228071 · CN
- 3D printing management method, device, terminal and system and storage medium116353061 · CN
- OPTIMIZED 3D PRINTING METHOD2016044963 · WO
- Printing platform assembly for 3D printing and 3D printing system119567559 · CN
- Detection method of 3D (Three-Dimensional) printer, 3D printing spray head, platform and 3D printer108312496 · CN
Funding rounds
- Venture Round$15.75M2021-12Source: CB Insights - December 2021
- Venture RoundUndisclosed2021-05Source: Web
- Series BUndisclosed2016-07Lead: 华控基金 · Source: nanjixiong
- Crowdfunding$488K (Cetus3D Kickstarter product crowdfunding)2016Source: Kickstarter
- Series A¥10M RMB (1000万; approx $1.53M historical DB conversion)2014-01Lead: Dover Corporation · Source: Tiertime Official PR; Crunchbase; Nanjixiong