MetalPrinting's GAUSS MT90 paste-based metal 3D printer wins CES 2026 Innovation Award

South Korean startup MetalPrinting, founded in 2018 by CEO Kim Daesan, has commercialized a paste-based metal 3D printing system built around its proprietary GAUSS INK material and the GAUSS MT90 printer. The system debuted at CES 2025 and won a CES 2026 Innovation Award. The GAUSS MT90 is a compact, single-unit printer capable of switching between multiple metal paste materials, targeting porous metal mesh structures and custom geometries that CNC machining or casting cannot produce. The company positions the system for small-batch, high-mix production and educational use.

This announcement fits the recurring pattern of material-innovation-led market expansion, where a novel feedstock format — in this case, metal paste rather than powder or wire — lowers the barrier to entry for metal AM. MetalPrinting competes not with mainstream LPBF systems from EOS, Trumpf, or Nikon SLM Solutions, but rather with desktop metal extrusion systems like those from Desktop Metal (Studio System) and Markforged (Metal X). The key differentiator is GAUSS INK's material flexibility and the ability to produce porous structures without support removal challenges typical of powder-bed systems. The compact footprint and safety profile (no loose powder handling) address the adoption gap in R&D labs, universities, and small job shops that find LPBF too costly or complex. The CES award provides early validation but does not yet signal production-scale reliability.

From a practical standpoint, MetalPrinting must now demonstrate that GAUSS INK achieves consistent mechanical properties across multiple material types (e.g., 316L, Ti-6Al-4V, tool steel) and that the MT90 can hold tolerances for functional prototypes, not just concept models. The company's next milestone is securing repeat orders from industrial customers, not just CES buzz. For buyers evaluating entry-level metal AM, the GAUSS system is worth a trial run alongside binder jetting and bound-metal extrusion alternatives, but qualification data and post-processing workflows remain the deciding factors.