Yamaichi Hagane
Yamaichi Special Steel Co., Ltd. is a Nagoya-based specialty steel trading and manufacturing company that has expanded into additive manufacturing, developing its own 3IxD polymer 3D printers and offering an integrated AM service from in-house filament production to post-processing and inspection.
- CEO / Founder
- Motoharu Teranishi (寺西基治)
- Team Size
- 201-500
- Stage
- Established
- Total Funding
- $0
- Latest Round
- Bootstrapped
- Key Investors
- Nagoya Small and Medium Business Investment & Consultation Co., Ltd. (名古屋中小企業投資育成株式会社, historical equity investor, 1981)
Technology & Products
Key Products
3IxD / 3IxD-W polymer 3D printers (own-developed); in-house 3D printing filament (ABS, PC, PC-PBT); SILASTIC 3D 3335 liquid silicone rubber; AM contract manufacturing of 3D parts and products; 3D scanning / reverse engineering; DfAM design optimization software (nTop, Optibot, Cognitive Additive); authorized dealer for innovatiQ (German RepRap) 3D printers; post-processing (5-axis machining, painting, laser processing, measurement/inspection); specialty steel and tool steel trading; RIDGELINE TOOL cutting tools; YS BLADES.
Technological Advantage
In-house development of both the 3IxD printer hardware and the filament material, plus integrated post-processing (5-axis machining, painting, laser, ISO/IEC 17025-accredited measurement). The 3IxD implements dehumidification/drying and temperature management to suppress hydrolysis and improve surface finish, with build speed stated by the company as about 3x faster than its prior baseline.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
A one-stop "Factory Mall" AM offering that links in-house filament development, DfAM design optimization, 3D printing on its own 3IxD printers, and finishing/inspection (5-axis machining, painting, laser, measurement) into a single integrated manufacturing chain.
How They Differentiate
Vertically integrated AM offering built on self-developed printer hardware and in-house filament, rather than reselling third-party equipment; leverages a century of steel-trading finishing, measurement, and inspection expertise for post-processing quality.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Manufacturers needing industrial polymer parts and components (e.g., feeder/parts-supply devices for automated machinery), signage and display producers, and companies seeking prototyping, reverse engineering, and DfAM design services.
Industry Verticals
Industrial manufacturing; automotive; molds and dies; signage and display; aerospace (AS9100/AS9120 certified)
Competitors
Stratasys; 3D Systems; Formlabs (polymer AM); Japanese AM service providers and specialty steel distributors expanding into AM
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Capital ¥80 million; revenue ¥16.5 billion (FY ending March 2024); ~221 employees (March 2024); 9× 3IxD-W printers installed at headquarters factory.
Major Milestones
1927 founded as Yamaichi Shoten; 1948 incorporated as Yamaichi Hagane Co., Ltd.; 1999 Motoharu Teranishi becomes president; 2016 launched AM business with metal 3D printing and established Prismadd Japan JV; 2018 formed Yamaichi United Group holding company; 2021 absorbed Prismadd Japan and opened painting factory; 2022 patent application for 3IxD dehumidification/temperature-control; 2025 showcased resin 3D-printed 3D signs at Sign & Display Show; 2026 (Oct) doubled polymer AM production capacity by adding self-developed 3IxD printers at headquarters factory.
Notable Customers
Toei Company and Chuo Kogei (3D-printed signage/props); signage firm Yoshida Senden Co. (collaboration)
Recent coverage of Yamaichi Hagane
AM patents
AM-relevant patents linked to this company.
- Patents
- 1
- Granted
- 0
- Families
- 1
Leading domains: equipment (1), process (1)
Filings by year: 2022: 1
- 3Dプリンタ及び3次元印刷方法36011546|2024011546 · JP