Scrap Labs, a Colorado startup, introduced its Scrap 1 system at the Rocky Mountain RepRap Festival in Loveland on April 18-19 as a lower-cost option for laser powder bed fusion. The compact metal printer, shown at a hobbyist event, aims to bring one of manufacturing’s most expensive processes into a smaller, benchtop-style format.
Usually handled by big industrial machines, the process works by laying down thin layers of metal powder and melting specific spots with a laser, repeating that step until the part is finished. The end result can be strong, functional components with internal channels and lattice patterns that regular machining often cannot make.
These capabilities have supported adoption across aerospace, automotive, and tooling, but cost and infrastructure needs have kept the technology largely inaccessible to smaller operators.
Scrap Labs is targeting that underserved segment. The company’s first system brings laser powder bed fusion into a compact format designed for workbench use rather than a dedicated industrial cell. Traditional machines from established manufacturers can exceed $200,000 and typically need specialized electrical service, controlled environments, and extensive safety systems for handling fine metal powders. Even lower-cost models for smaller buyers still sell for tens of thousands of dollars and generally require a lab-like setup.
The Scrap 1 is designed to lower those barriers without moving away from the core process. It includes liquid and air cooling and uses HEPA filtration to manage particulates. The platform supports several metals, including stainless steel, tool steel, copper, nickel alloys, and cobalt chrome, for prototyping and limited production applications.
Connectivity options include Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and USB, along with a web-based control interface. The firmware runs on Klipper, and the system works with established slicing tools such as PrusaSlicer and OrcaSlicer, as well as Scrap Labs’ own ScrapSlicer workflow.
The focus on open tooling and familiar software is intended to avoid the closed ecosystems common in industrial additive systems. Instead of locking users into proprietary pipelines, Scrap Labs is aligning the machine with workflows already used in polymer printing and desktop fabrication, reducing the learning curve for users transitioning into metal.
Scrap Labs is targeting users who have traditionally depended on outsourcing, including university labs, vocational programs, small manufacturers, motorsport shops, and design studios. For these groups, in-house metal printing could shorten development cycles by moving parts from design to physical testing faster, without the delays tied to machining or outside service bureaus.
Entry pricing is set at $9,600 for a limited promotional period, increasing to $14,200 after April 30, 2026. Fully assembled configurations start at $17,990. Scrap Labs plans to begin deliveries in early 2027 and currently offers refundable deposits or waitlist access.
According to Scrap Labs, the company completed proof of concept in December 2025 and has entered alpha testing with select partners. A broader beta cycle is scheduled for late 2026, with manufacturing ramp-up targeting first US shipments by mid-2027.
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