Scrap Labs Unveils SCRAP 1: The First True Desktop Metal 3D Printer Under $10,000

Colorado-based startup Scrap Labs has unveiled the SCRAP 1, a desktop metal 3D printer that brings industrial Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) technology to a fraction of the usual cost.

Breaking the Cost Barrier

Metal 3D printing has traditionally required machines costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, limiting access to large manufacturers and research institutions. The SCRAP 1 aims to democratize metal additive manufacturing with a kit price of just $9,600 (early bird pricing, rising to $14,200 after April).

"I've worked on metal printers from nearly every major manufacturer and have been building lower-cost metal 3D printing systems for over a decade," said Matt Woods, Scrap Labs CEO. "That experience taught me that there's a lot of over-engineering in the industry. Once you identify where innovation truly needs to happen, and you compound enough small engineering innovations that boost performance while cutting costs, you get something like the SCRAP 1."

Key Specifications

• Build volume: 100 x 100 x 100 mm
• Weight: 30kg (very low for an LPBF system)
• Power: Single-phase (not three-phase like most metal printers)
• Laser: 200W
• Scan speed: 1500mm/s
• Firmware: Klipper
• Atmosphere: Argon/Nitrogen compatible
• Part density: 99% claimed

Availability

The SCRAP 1 will be shown publicly for the first time at the Rocky Mountain RepRap Festival on April 18-19, 2026. Fully tested and assembled systems are available for $17,990, with shipping expected in early 2027.

For makers and small manufacturers priced out of traditional metal 3D printing, the SCRAP 1 represents a potentially transformative opportunity—though as with any Kickstarter-style launch, early adopters should weigh the usual risks.