How a drone manufacturer and a marketer teamed up to transform industrial additive manufacturing.
From Drone Manufacturing to a New Frontier in Additive Production
Vision Miner began in 2016 out of a real manufacturing challenge. High-end drones—costing upwards of six figures and carrying equally expensive payloads—required rapid prototyping that was faster and more flexible than CNC machining. While CNC offered precision, even the smallest measurement error meant starting over with a new aluminum block, wasting engineering hours and machining time.
Early desktop 3D printers promised speed, but the materials of the era—mainly PLA and ABS—couldn’t survive real functional use. PLA melted under sunlight, ABS warped and peeled without controlled chambers, and constant tuning consumed more time than it saved. A better solution was needed.
A Chance Meeting and the Spark That Started It All
During this period, a friend walked into the drone shop looking for connectors—bringing with him a positive energy and a background in high-end marketing. After collaborating on drone videos and websites, the conversation eventually shifted to 3D printing. A weekend loaner printer introduced him to engineering-grade materials like PEEK, PPSU, and ULTEM—industrial thermoplastics used for decades but virtually untouched in desktop 3D printing.
The discovery immediately revealed a massive opportunity: these metal-replacement thermoplastics were strong, heat-resistant, chemical-resistant, and ideal for aerospace-grade parts. But no one had made printing them accessible.
Obsession, Dedication, and the Birth of a Vision
That weekend turned into an obsession. Within days, prototypes covered the room as new skills developed at breakneck speed. The potential was undeniable—and so was the desire to build something bigger.
With a shared commitment to work for years without a paycheck, the founders began a mission: first master high-temperature 3D printing themselves, then teach others how to create strong, functional parts that previously required machining.
Solving the First Major Barrier: High-Temp Bed Adhesion
The early journey took more than a year—thousands of dollars in wasted filament and countless failed prints. One issue stood out above all: printing PEEK, ULTEM, and other top-tier polymers required perfect first-layer adhesion.
This led to the invention of Vision Miner Nano Polymer Adhesive, engineered specifically to solve industrial bed adhesion challenges. Once the first layer problem was solved, progress accelerated dramatically.
Why Vision Miner Started Building Its Own Machines
At the time, only a few high-temp printers existed—and their support was slow, unresponsive, and often overseas. Dead-on-arrival components, long shipping delays, and lack of accountability created enormous production bottlenecks for customers.
The solution was clear: build their own machine from the ground up, eliminate middlemen, and provide true same-day support when parts or repairs were needed. Every frustration became a blueprint for a better solution.
V1 to V4: Iteration, Customer Feedback, and Relentless Engineering
The first Vision Miner machine was handcrafted. The second was mass-produced. Customer feedback flowed continuously—and every suggestion, complaint, or request was logged and implemented. Over 150 improvements shaped the V2, and more than 200 additional enhancements evolved the V3 into the V4.
The priority was always the same: robust engineering, reliability, and no-compromise performance using CNC-machined components, high-end thermal systems, and industry-proven materials.
Trusted by the Military, Aerospace, and Fortune 500 Innovators
Vision Miner printers are now deployed across every branch of the U.S. military—on bases, naval vessels, submarines, and in field environments. Their ability to reliably produce functional components directly impacts readiness, safety, and mission success.
The customer list extends into aerospace giants, defense contractors, aircraft manufacturers, and cutting-edge research teams. These users rely on consistent high-temperature performance for critical mechanisms, housings, and field-repair components.
A Continuous Feedback Loop That Drives Innovation
With its own factory and engineering team, Vision Miner can design, test, and implement improvements in days—not years. Customer requests like secure locking doors for classified prints, improved lighting, or easier calibrations are often implemented within a single production cycle.
This rapid engineering feedback loop is the backbone of the V4 platform and all future systems.
The V4: A Culmination of Eight Years of High-Temperature Expertise
The V4 showcases the full maturity of the company—engineering, marketing, support, and manufacturing operating at peak alignment. With hundreds of internal improvements and a fully redesigned structure, the V4 delivers unmatched performance, aesthetics, and reliability in the industrial high-temperature class.
It reflects not just product evolution, but years of passion, testing, problem-solving, and a mission to make high-performance polymers accessible to manufacturers everywhere.
Every Day Brings a New Adventure in Advanced Manufacturing
Vision Miner’s customer base prints everything from deep-sea components to aerospace housings, military replacements, space-station hardware, and mission-critical mechanisms. The variety keeps each day exciting—and the team continues pushing the limits of what’s possible with additive manufacturing.