DWS Systems
DWS Systems is an Italian SLA 3D printing manufacturer founded in 2007 that designs proprietary printers (XCELL, XPRO, DW lines), software (Nauta+, Fictor), and over 100 materials for footwear, jewelry, eyewear, and industrial customers across 60+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersThiene, Italy
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What DWS Systems does
DWS Systems (legal entity DWS S.r.l.) is an Italian-headquartered manufacturer of professional stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing systems, founded in 2007 and based in Thiene, Italy. The company designs and produces its own 3D printers across three primary lines — the XCELL industrial-scale platform (with single, quad, and triple Blue-Edge laser configurations including the XCELL 900S, 300S, and 300Q/QHR), the XPRO mid-volume line (XPRO SL, Q/QHR, QL/QLHR), and the compact DW desktop line (DW 029MKIII, DW 028XLHR) — alongside the XFAB 2500PD and 3500PD. DWS develops its core technology in-house, including a proprietary Class 3B Blue Edge laser, its Smart Coating system that controls material viscosity and displacement, and its Pull-up Stereolithography process. The company holds over 250 patents covering these technologies.
The company operates a vertically integrated business model that bundles proprietary hardware with the Nauta+ parametric 3D editor and Fictor printer-control software (which monitors over 150 process parameters per material), plus a portfolio of over 100 proprietary materials organized into seven families: Flexa elastomers, Fusia castables for lost-wax investment casting, Therma high-temperature materials, Invicta rigid/tough resins, Precisa precision mockups, Irix eyewear-specific materials, and Vitra transparent materials. Patented add-on modules (XCluster and XCluster Chain) automate casting tree generation for jewelry applications. Revenue is generated through hardware sales, recurring materials sales, software licensing, and professional consulting services, with pricing conducted on a quote-based, multi-year contract basis through direct enterprise sales and a global reseller partner network.
DWS serves nine vertical markets — footwear, fashion and accessories, jewelry, eyewear, general manufacturing, industrial automation, microfluidics, education, and dental (via the separate DFab.dental business unit) — with primary focus on footwear, fashion, jewelry, and eyewear. Named customers include Crocs, Yaze, BOLFLEX, Pneumax, SIME Idromeccanica, Grosso (Menghi Group), Dynamis PRC, and the LGP2 research laboratory in Grenoble. The company reports presence in over 60 countries, supported by direct sales, a reseller channel, and trade show activity at MIDO, T.GOLD/Vicenzaoro, JCK Las Vegas, Formnext, Mecspe, and Microfluidic Horizons. The company is privately held, appears bootstrapped, and is led by co-founder and CTO Maurizio Costabeber.
DWS Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DWS Systems
- Legal name
- DWS S.r.l.
- Website
- https://dwssystems.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- DWS Systems is an Italian SLA 3D printing manufacturer founded in 2007 that designs proprietary printers (XCELL, XPRO, DW lines), software (Nauta+, Fictor), and over 100 materials for footwear, jewelry, eyewear, and industrial customers across 60+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DWS Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional 3D Printing Systems
- NAICS
- Printing and Related Support Activities (323)
- SIC
- Printing Trades Machinery & Equipment (3555)
- akta.pro primary industry
- 3D Printers (Additive Manufacturing) (HDACAEAH)
Keywords
Where DWS Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Thiene
- HQ country
- Italy
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
DWS Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- 3D Printer Hardware Sales: Sale of professional SLA 3D printers across three product lines: XCELL (large-scale industrial production), XPRO (mid-volume prototyping and production), and DW (compact precision printing). Printers include integrated software and are sold with various configuration options.
- Proprietary Materials: Sale of specialized 3D printing materials including Flexa (elastomers), Fusia (castable wax), Therma (high-temperature resistant), Invicta (rigid/tough), Precisa (precision mockups), Irix (eyewear), and Vitra (transparent/opaline). Portfolio of over 100 proprietary materials.
- Software Licensing: Licensing of proprietary software including Nauta+ for file preparation and Fictor for printer control, with optional add-on modules like XCluster and XCluster Chain available under specific licenses.
- Professional Services & Consulting: Expert consulting services for 3D printing implementation, including ROI analysis, material customization, process optimization, and ongoing support. Technical support for printers, software, materials, and post-curing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enterprise hardware and solutions pricing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
DWS Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DWS Systems designs, manufactures, and sells professional stereolithography (SLA) 3D printers across three product lines (XCELL for large-scale industrial production, XPRO for mid-volume prototyping and production, and DW for compact precision printing), together with proprietary Nauta+ and Fictor software and a portfolio of more than 100 specialized photopolymer materials. The integrated offering enables rapid prototyping, tooling, and small-to-medium production runs for industries including jewelry, eyewear, footwear, fashion, microfluidics, and industrial automation, with custom consulting and post-sale technical support.
Product overview
DWS Systems is an Italian company (DWS S.r.l.) offering a comprehensive suite of SLA 3D printing solutions comprising three product lines: industrial-grade 3D printers (XCELL, XPRO, and DW lines), proprietary software (Nauta+ for file preparation and Fictor for printer control), and over 100 specialized materials across seven series (Flexa elastomers, Fusia castables, Therma high-temperature, Invicta rigid/tough, Precisa precision mockups, Irix eyewear, and Vitra transparent). The XCELL line represents the company's new sixth-generation platform designed for large-scale industrial production with multi-laser systems. The XPRO line serves mid-volume industrial prototyping and production applications. The DW line provides compact, high-precision desktop solutions for jewelry, eyewear, and precision mechanics. The software ecosystem includes advanced add-on modules like XCluster and XCluster Chain for automated jewelry casting tree design. The company serves industries including footwear, fashion accessories, jewelry, general manufacturing, industrial automation, eyewear, microfluidics, and education, with a global presence across over 60 countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- XCELL 900S Industrial-grade SLA 3D printer for large-scale production with an ultra-wide build volume of 900x300x550mm, featuring Blue-Edge triple laser engine and Smart Coating technology.
- XCELL 300S Industrial-grade SLA 3D printer for mid-volume production with a build volume of 300x300x550mm, featuring single laser Blue-Edge engine and Smart Coating technology.
- XCELL 300Q / QHR Mid-volume production 3D printer with quad-laser system offering highest resolution for jewelry and eyewear applications, with 300x300x550mm build volume.
- XPRO SL Large volume 3D printer for fashion accessories and footwear industry with 500mm Z-axis, maintaining same performance as XPRO S with max working area for accessories and luxury leather applications.
- XPRO Q / QHR High-volume 3D printing system with quad-laser system, working area of 300x300x300mm, featuring 4 Solid State BlueEdge lasers for reduced production times without compromising resolution.
- XPRO QL / QLHR Large scale 3D printing system with 500mm Z-axis and quad-laser system for maximum precision and resolution, working area of 300x300x500mm. HR version available for microfluidics and ultrafine jewelry.
- DW 029MKIII / HR Third generation high-precision 3D printer designed for sustainable manufacturing with -98% waste reduction, +30% surface quality, and tolerances down to 0.05mm. Features build volume of 170x170x200mm and available in HR (20μm) or standard (40μm) versions.
- DW 028XLHR Professional desktop 3D printer for high-precision jewelry, fashion accessories, and precision mechanics with build volume of 100x100x100mm, producing up to 150 models per day with no scheduled maintenance.
- Nauta+ Parametric 3D editor developed by DWS for file preparation, error detection in 3D files, and automatic generation of optimized support structures. Includes advanced modules like XCluster for casting tree design and XCluster Chain for chain link generation.
- Fictor Integrated 3D printer control system that receives files from Nauta+ and manages the printing process by monitoring over 150 customizable parameters specific to each material. Includes advanced slicer that converts 3D files into laser paths.
- Fusia Digital Wax Lost wax casting material that combines the power of SLA 3D printing with effortless casting, suitable for creating casting trees.
- Therma DM570 High-temperature resistant nanoceramic material for mold manufacturing, resistant to temperatures up to 295°C for injection molds, casting molds, and sintering molds.
- Flexa Digital TPU 75 Digital TPU elastomer with high rebound and flexibility for flexible rapid prototyping and small production batches of footwear, soles, and functional parts.
- Irix Digital CA Functional prototyping material for eyeglass frames and temples, offering durability and aesthetics similar to cellulose acetate.
- Vitra 413 Transparent and opaline material with smooth surfaces and white translucence for transparent components and microfluidics testing.
- Professional Consulting and Technical Support Expert consulting services for 3D printing implementation, including ROI analysis, material customization, process optimization, and ongoing technical support for printers, software, materials, and post-curing.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30% reduction in development time and costs
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use DWS Systems
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles7 records
DWS Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
DWS Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- DFab.dentalminorSeparate business unit focused on digital dentistry solutions. DFab.dental operates as a distinct entity serving the dental industry's specific needs for 3D printing workflows, from digital intraoral scans to planning software and final printing.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
DWS Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Formlabs: Formlabs is a leading SLA 3D printer manufacturer offering professional desktop and industrial printers, proprietary materials, and software — directly competing with DWS across jewelry, dental, and engineering use cases.
- EnvisionTEC (ETEC): EnvisionTEC (now part of Desktop Health/ETEC) manufactures professional DLP and SLA 3D printers. It is a direct specialist competitor in jewelry, dental, and industrial verticals where DWS also operates.
- Carbon: Carbon produces high-end digital light synthesis (DLS) additive manufacturing systems and proprietary resins for production applications. It competes with DWS in premium industrial 3D printing, particularly for end-use parts.
- Sisma: Sisma is an Italian manufacturer of selective laser melting and laser-based 3D printing systems, identified as a competitor alongside DWS at MIDO eyewear events. Comparable as a domestic/regional peer serving jewelry and luxury production.
- Prodways: Prodways is a European-based competitor offering professional SLA/DLP 3D printers and materials, including specialist systems for jewelry production — directly competing with DWS in casting and dental verticals.
Broad incumbents
- Stratasys: Stratasys is a major 3D printing solutions provider offering FDM, PolyJet, and stereolithography systems. Its broad portfolio and scale make it a far larger incumbent player competing in adjacent production AM use cases.
- EOS GmbH: EOS is a leading industrial additive manufacturing company specializing in metal and polymer SLS systems. It competes with DWS in industrial production AM use cases as a larger established player.
- Materialise: Materialise provides 3D printing software and services including Magics and Streamics, alongside manufacturing services. It overlaps with DWS at major industry events and competes indirectly via software and production services.
- 3D Systems: 3D Systems is a global 3D printing incumbent offering SLA, SLS, and metal AM solutions across prototyping and production. It overlaps with DWS in SLA hardware and materials but serves a much broader portfolio.
Emerging players
- Genera Printer: Genera Printer is an Austrian manufacturer of DLP-based 3D printing systems focused on prototyping and small batch production. It competes with DWS in specialized industrial 3D printing, particularly in DACH-region markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
DWS Systems social profiles
Digital presenceDWS Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DWS Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
DWS Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DWS Systems M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DWS Systems
What does DWS Systems do?
DWS Systems designs, manufactures, and sells professional stereolithography (SLA) 3D printers across three product lines (XCELL for large-scale industrial production, XPRO for mid-volume prototyping and production, and DW for compact precision printing), together with proprietary Nauta+ and Fictor software and a portfolio of more than 100 specialized photopolymer materials. The integrated offering enables rapid prototyping, tooling, and small-to-medium production runs for industries including jewelry, eyewear, footwear, fashion, microfluidics, and industrial automation, with custom consulting and post-sale technical support.
Is DWS Systems a public or private company?
DWS Systems is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was DWS Systems founded?
DWS Systems was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is DWS Systems based?
DWS Systems is headquartered in Thiene, Italy, in the Europe region.
How does DWS Systems make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. 3D Printer Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are proprietary Materials, software Licensing and professional Services & Consulting.
Who are DWS Systems's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Formlabs, EnvisionTEC (ETEC), Carbon, Sisma and Prodways. Broad incumbents are Stratasys, EOS GmbH, Materialise and 3D Systems. Genera Printer is listed as an emerging player.
Does DWS Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for DWS Systems.
What industry is DWS Systems in?
DWS Systems's product category is Professional 3D Printing Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDACAEAH, 3D Printers (Additive Manufacturing). Its NAICS code is 323 and its SIC code is 3555.