Even in the field of additive manufacturing, it is by no means a given that an established machining company would establish a second, rapidly growing line of business in micro-3D printing within just a few years. That’s exactly what happened at BANTLE 3D, a contract manufacturer based in Fluorn-Winzeln in southern Germany: Using technology from Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF), the company built a completely new business segment within two years.

From a Two-Person Operation to a Sought-After Micro-Manufacturer

When Andy Bantle took over the business in 2020, he had just two employees. Today, BANTLE 3D has grown into a team of ten and operates seven state-of-the-art machining centers for high-precision metal and plastic machining using 5-axis milling and 6-axis turning. About two years ago, ultra-precise 3D printing technology opened up a completely new business segment, which today supplies microcomponents for the electronics, medical technology, and cosmetics industries—sectors that BANTLE 3D had previously barely penetrated through traditional machining.

The Discovery at Formnext and the Leap into the PµSL Process

The impetus came from the 2022 Formnext trade show, where Bantle first encountered BMF’s Projection Micro-Stereolithography (PµSL) technology: “I was fascinated right away,” he recalls. Unlike traditional SLA printing, which typically reaches its limits at a resolution of around 50 micrometers, PµSL achieves a consistently high resolution of 25, 10, or even 2 micrometers across the entire build area, depending on the device model. Bantle subsequently invested a six-figure sum in a Micro Printer of the microArch S240 type with 10-micrometer resolution—a decision to purchase a micro 3D printer that paid off in terms of productivity after just a few weeks. Steffen Hägele, Sales Manager at BMF, puts the entrepreneurial foresight behind the decision into perspective: “He immediately recognized a market gap. With BMF, prototype parts that usually take three months using high-precision injection molding can be printed in just three days.”

From Prototype Production to a New Revenue Stream

After six months of familiarizing themselves with materials and printing parameters—ranging from HTL resins to heat-resistant and biocompatible materials for medical technology applications—BANTLE 3D established itself as a sought-after partner for small production runs and prototypes that traditionally could only be manufactured via expensive injection molding. An example from the cosmetics industry illustrates the extent of the time savings particularly clearly: molds for mascara brush heads, which previously required up to six months for delivery of an injection-molding tool, are now delivered by BANTLE 3D within two weeks thanks to the soluble BMF SR molding resin—without any tooling investment.

“Last year, we printed about 2,500 components,” Bantle reports on the past fiscal year.

The growing demand made it necessary to acquire a second microArch S240 with automatic calibration, which now allows the company to process orders of up to 1,600 parts within five days. For Bantle, this is just the beginning: “BMF’s printers are reliable, sophisticated, and backed by excellent support. That’s why we’re ready to take the next step—toward even higher resolution, greater precision, and new possibilities.”

The Next Step: 2-Micrometer Resolution and Ceramics

The purchase of the microArch S230, featuring 2-micrometer resolution and a build volume of 50 x 50 x 50 millimeters, is already scheduled—according to the company, the only device in this precision class on the European mainland. At the same time, BANTLE 3D is preparing to produce ceramic microcomponents for the electronics industry, for which debinding and sintering systems are already in place. With this expansion, the company is positioning itself as the only provider in southern Germany offering 10-µm resolution printing—a unique selling point that requires additional space: A new 2,000-square-meter production facility is already in the planning stages.

Three Industries, One Printing Principle

What makes BANTLE 3D unique is the breadth of industries it serves from a single technology platform: In electronics manufacturing, these include delicate housings and connecting components; in medical technology, biocompatible components for prototypes and small production runs; and in the cosmetics industry—a market that, at first glance, seems atypical for micro-3D printing—removable molds for brush heads and similar small parts. This diversity demonstrates that the economic benefits of micro-3D printing are not limited to a single target industry, but apply wherever small, high-precision components are needed in manageable quantities and traditional injection molding would be uneconomical due to tooling costs.

What this means for other machining companies

The BANTLE 3D case study shows that Boston Micro Fabrication technology is not only suitable for pure-play tech startups, but also—and especially—for established machining companies looking to expand their portfolio with a complementary, rapidly growing business segment. The key to success was not so much the technology itself as the consistent familiarization with materials and process parameters over several months—an investment that paid off for BANTLE 3D within just a few fiscal years in the form of a completely new revenue stream.

Take the Next Step Now

Would you like to find out whether additive manufacturing or 3D scanning is a viable option for your components and processes? The AM Pioneers team offers non-binding advice on technology, materials, and cost-effectiveness—based on real-world project experience with the partner technologies presented here.

Contact AM Pioneers for a personalized consultation regarding your specific application.