End-to-End Integration
Manage path planning, live monitoring, and post-print analytics in one seamless platform.
Dynamic Process Control
Adapt to thermal changes using live sensor feedback for guaranteed metallurgical stability.
Streamline Certification
Generate auditable 3D reports from logged data to meet strict industrial standards.
MetalXL
End-to-End WAAM Software for Robotic Metal 3D Printing
MetalXL is the proprietary wire arc additive manufacturing software developed by MX3D. Designed to be the “brain” behind our advanced M1 and MX robotic metal 3D printers, MetalXL is the most comprehensive and easy-to-use WAAM software in the wire arc additive manufacturing industry.
Unlike workflows that require a fragmented mix of general-purpose CAD, standard CAM, and external monitoring tools, MetalXL provides a seamless, end-to-end digital environment. It covers intelligent WAAM path planning, real-time process monitoring, and post-print analytics and reporting in one integrated platform.
Don’t look for buttons for milling, plastic printing, or support teams that have no knowledge about welding. MetalXL is purely built for WAAM. Forged in the demanding environment of MX3D’s own 24/7 production facility in Amsterdam since 2014, MetalXL is not just a theoretical tool; it is a production-proven software suite that transforms industrial robotics into certified, high-performance robotic 3D printing systems.
MetalXL
Three Modules, One Seamless Workflow
To achieve industrial-grade quality and continuous additive manufacturing process control, MetalXL is divided into three synchronized modules. Together, they guide the user from a digital 3D model to a physical, certified part.
METALXL CAM
MetalXL CAM is the dedicated interface for path planning, which includes an extensive printing strategy library for various metal alloys, feasibility check tools, and advanced slicing/solving.
METALXL LIVE
MetalXL Live is the print monitoring interface. It allows the user to simulate the print, control the process in real time and log the data thanks to the MetalXL control system.
METALXL VIZ
MetalXL Viz, for post-printing analytics. It displays a 3D report of the acquired data for extensive post-printing analytics, for defects detection, certification of the printed parts and strategy refinement.
MetalXL CAM
Intelligent WAAM Path Planning
MetalXL CAM is the preparation module. It converts your CAD designs into optimized, collision-free toolpaths specifically engineered for robotic 3D printing. Because Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) behaves very differently from laser-based or thermoplast systems, general-purpose CAM software is often insufficient. MetalXL CAM solves this by offering an extensive library of proven printing strategies.
Key Features of MetalXL CAM
Advanced WAAM Toolpath Planning
Generate optimal robotic kinematics tailored specifically to the arc deposition process.
Integrated Printing Strategies
Select from pre-calibrated strategies tailored to your geometry, including Single Wall (for hollow shells), Multi-Wall (for thicker boundaries), and Solid Infill (Raster or Zig-Zag patterns for dense, machinable parts).
Automated Feasibility Checks
Before a single drop of metal is melted, the WAAM simulation software runs predictive checks. It automatically analyzes face overhangs, edge overhangs, face intersections, and manifold edges, warning the operator of extreme angles that could affect quality.
Multi-Planar Slicing
MetalXL allows you to easily orient an external positioner, enabling the robot to print complex geometries and extreme overhangs (greater than 45 degrees) without the need for printed support structures.
MetalXL Live
Real-Time Process Monitoring & Control
In heavy industries like Energy, Maritime, and Defense, a part is only as good as its documentation. MetalXL Viz handles comprehensive WAAM quality assurance by turning raw print data into actionable, auditable insights.
Key Features of MetalXL LIVE
Dynamic Sensor Integration
The software communicates with integrated hardware sensors to monitor critical scalar data (such as current, voltage, and wire feed speed) alongside advanced thermal data.
Dynamic Interpass Time
By reading real-time temperature feedback, MetalXL Live autonomously controls interpass cooling times, preventing heat build-up and ensuring consistent material performance and bead geometry.
Live Tracking, Alert & Control System
Operators can track the exact progress of the print via the dashboard. The system features automated failure detection, instantly pausing the print, alerting the user, or intervening with an automated response if parameters deviate from the qualified range.
MetalXL Viz
Post-Print Analytics & Certification
In heavy industries like Energy, Maritime, and Defense, a part is only as good as its documentation. MetalXL Viz handles comprehensive WAAM quality assurance by turning raw print data into actionable, auditable insights. MetalXL Viz is ideal for the future optimization of printing processes.
Key Features of MetalXL VIZ
High-Resolution Data Logging
Every single layer, weld, and process event is logged during the MetalXL Live phase and stored securely.
3D Data Reporting
MetalXL Viz generates a 3D visual representation of the acquired print data. Users can pinpoint exact locations on the digital model to review the specific welding parameters applied at that exact coordinate.
Industrial Certification Support
This full digital traceability is essential for proving “fitness for purpose.” It provides the exact documentation required to certify parts under strict regulatory bodies such as DNV, Lloyd’s Register, API, and ASME. Learn more about our certification support.
Iterative Optimization
Engineers can use post-print analytics to refine future strategies, constantly improving material efficiency and deposition rates.
From CAD to Certified Part
The MetalXL Workflow
As an integrated WAAM software platform, MetalXL simplifies the complexities of robotic 3D printing software into a linear, user-friendly workflow. This end-to-end integration eliminates the risk of data loss or translation errors that occur when using general robotic AM software platforms.
- Material Calibration: Select from our built-in library of verified WAAM alloys (Stainless Steels, Carbon Steels, Aluminum, Bronze, Inconel) or use the calibration tool to qualify a custom material.
- Print Feasibility & Path Planning: Upload your STL file. MetalXL runs automated checks and generates the simulated robot toolpath based on your chosen strategy (e.g., Solid Infill vs. Multi-Wall).
- Printing & Process Control: Push the solved path to the MX3D machine. MetalXL Live takes over, utilizing dynamic sensors to adapt to thermal changes and log process data.
- Data Analytics & Certification: Upon completion, MetalXL Viz delivers a comprehensive 3D process report, enabling immediate quality assurance and streamlined part certification.
Our Selected Users
Why MetalXL Improves Your WAAM Prints
Improving Print Quality with Toolpath Planning
Traditional subtractive CAM programs struggle with the fluid physics and thermal dynamics of molten metal, often resulting in unpredictable heat buildup and excessive material waste. MetalXL’s WAAM toolpath planning is engineered natively for the arc deposition process. By allowing engineers to dynamically assign varying strategies within a single part, such as printing a dense Multi-Wall perimeter alongside a faster Raster solid infill, MetalXL drastically improves the structural integrity and dimensional accuracy of the final print. This precision ensures a highly accurate near-net-shape build, pushing material utilization to approximately 90% and significantly reducing the need for extensive post-CNC machining.
Why MetalXL Improves Your WAAM Prints
Seamless Sensor Modularity for Advanced Applications
Because MetalXL was built with a highly adaptable architecture, our turnkey systems can be customized to fit your exact production requirements without disrupting the digital workflow. Whether a specific aerospace or maritime application requires high-fidelity thermal imaging, advanced 3D scanning, or specialized environmental sensors, MetalXL acts as the central digital hub. It effortlessly integrates these complex data streams directly into its WAAM monitoring software interface. This modularity means you are investing in a future-proof robotic cell capable of unmatched additive manufacturing process control, tailored specifically to meet the most rigorous certification demands of your industry.
WAAM Applications
Advanced MetalXL Projects
OPTIMIZED TRUSS
MX3D used MetalXL to print a 2.5-meter carbon steel truss with double the structural efficiency of traditional designs. Advanced toolpath planning and real-time monitoring ensured the exact integrity required for certification, while significantly reducing material waste.
STEAM TURBINE PART
To replace a critical steam turbine component, MX3D used MetalXL to translate 3D scans into optimized toolpaths. Continuous process monitoring guaranteed consistent metallurgical quality over the five-day print, slashing lead times while matching cast properties.
WAAM PIPELINE CLAMP
To cut industry downtime, MX3D used MetalXL to produce a custom pipeline repair clamp. Advanced path planning seamlessly integrated printed steel onto pre-machined parts, providing the precise process control needed for Lloyd’s Register certification.
Expanding MetalXL’s Capabilities
Advanced System Add-Ons
MetalXL seamlessly integrates advanced hardware add-ons like our integrated 3D Scanner, which continuously verifies the print against the digital twin to detect dimensional imperfections. Beyond quality control, it unlocks hybrid repair workflows: engineers can 3D scan a damaged component and use MetalXL to print the missing geometry directly onto the original part, drastically reducing lead times and replacement costs.
Other Key MetalXL Add-Ons:
Active Cooling: Accelerates cooling of large parts to increase effective build rate.
Thermal Camera: Provides heat maps to enable accurate dynamic interpass timing and residual-stress management.
Weldpool Camera: Delivers live visual feedback of the arc and molten pool for parameter adjustments.
Acoustic Camera: Captures high-frequency acoustic data to detect internal anomalies instantly.
Temperature Sensor: Continuous thermal feedback to ensure interpass temperatures remain strictly within certified tolerances.
The Core Advantage
A Perfectly Synchronized Ecosystem
While MetalXL features a highly advanced, hardware-agnostic architecture capable of communicating with a variety of industrial robotics, we deploy it exclusively as the integrated operating system for our M1 and MX WAAM Systems.
By bundling MetalXL with our proprietary hardware, we guarantee zero integration friction. The robotic arm, the power source, the sensors, and the software act as a single, perfectly synchronized ecosystem. This turnkey approach allows manufacturers to bypass years of R&D and begin printing industrial-grade parts on day one.
Our proprietary software and the robotic platform allow us to create custom systems for any use case, connecting any sensor that might be required for you.
Exponential Evolution
With In-House Production
MetalXL is continuously evolving. MX3D operates one of the largest WAAM production facilities in the world, running 24/7. Every day, our internal software and engineering teams monitor high-volume prints across diverse industries.
As our hardware systems advance with new proprietary add-ons, such as advanced 3D scanning and high-fidelity thermal imaging, the use and analytics of operational data grow exponentially. This massive dataset feeds directly back into MetalXL’s development. New features, improved path-planning algorithms, and refined material parameters are continuously rolled into the software, ensuring MX3D users always operate the most advanced WAAM software in the world.
Proven in Global Industrial Production
MX3D was founded in 2014, and by 2019, MetalXL was launched as a dedicated WAAM software product and immediately put to the test on our own rigorous in-house projects, including Bronze and Stainless Steel Impellers for Nuclear and Valves for Oil and Gas. Today, the technology powered by MetalXL is trusted by leading global institutions and manufacturers to produce mission-critical components.
Ready to see it in action?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is WAAM software?
WAAM software controls the Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing process from digital design to physical production. A comprehensive platform like MetalXL handles WAAM toolpath planning (converting CAD into robotic instructions), real-time process monitoring during the print, and post-print data logging for quality assurance.
Is MetalXL software available separately?
No. To guarantee the highest level of performance, reliability, and print quality, MetalXL is exclusively bundled with our turnkey M1 and MX WAAM systems. This ensures the software and hardware are perfectly calibrated for industrial production.
Can MetalXL support part certification?
Yes. The MetalXL Viz module provides full traceability and data documentation required for industrial certification. Every process parameter, including current, voltage, and thermal data, is logged and mapped to a 3D model, allowing parts to meet strict DNV, ASME, PED, and API standards. Read about WAAM certification standards here.
How does MetalXL compare to other WAAM software?
MetalXL is one of the only true end-to-end WAAM platforms that encompasses CAM (path planning), Live (process control and monitoring), and Viz (data analytics) in a single integrated system. Because it is continuously updated based on massive datasets from MX3D’s own 24/7 production facility, it remains at the cutting edge of additive manufacturing process control.
Does MetalXL predict thermal distortion and mechanical properties?
No, as even the brightest scientists have not (yet) cracked the code on how to make scientific modelling work on industrial applications, this is not part of the software.
Ready to Upgrade Your Manufacturing Capabilities?
Whether you are looking to bring a turnkey WAAM system into your facility or require large-scale parts produced by our expert team, MetalXL provides the digital foundation for success.
