Scrap Labs launches Scrap1 entry-level metal 3D printer for $9,600

Scrap Labs, a Colorado-based startup founded by former SpaceX engineer Matt Woods, has unveiled the Scrap1, an entry-level metal 3D printer priced at $9,600. The benchtop system, debuted at the Rocky Mountain RepRap Festival in Loveland, Colorado, offers 30-micron layer resolution and uses a cloud-based browser slicer. First shipments are scheduled for early 2027.

This launch targets a persistent gap in the metal AM market: sub-$10,000 systems that deliver real metal printing capability, not just binder-bound green parts or FDM/FFF metal-filled filaments. The Scrap1 competes with systems like the Desktop Metal Studio System (now defunct post-Chapter 11) and the Markforged Metal X, both of which struggled with cost and reliability at scale. Woods’ SpaceX pedigree in rocket-component printing lends technical credibility, but the real test will be whether the Scrap1 can deliver consistent, usable metal parts at this price point without requiring extensive post-processing infrastructure. The company is betting on a simplified workflow — cloud software, benchtop footprint — to attract makers, small shops, and R&D labs that cannot justify $100,000+ LPBF systems.

For the metal AM industry, the Scrap1 is a modest but meaningful step toward democratizing metal printing. The key execution risk is material and process reliability: many low-cost metal printers have failed to deliver on their promises. Buyers should wait for independent reviews and first-user feedback before committing. If Scrap Labs can ship a working system at this price, it will open a new tier in the metal AM market — but the company must first prove it can manufacture and support the hardware at scale.