3D Printing

Do you have a link to this proposed 3D metal printer? The only thing i have heard is of small affordable plastic/resin 3D printers.

http://3dprinting.com/materials/metal/3d-printing-metal/

Post deleted

Interesting, although no mention of resolution and printing speed, would like to see a spec on a 3D metal printing machine

Hi Ronseto,

I saw the info a couple of years ago about 3-D printing in metals. I doubt such can mimic the strength specifications of forged or parts machined from a solid billet, however if I recall correctly, the benefit of the 3-D printing was not necessarily to replace all the current methods, but to allow for geometries to be made that are typically non-manufacturable.

What fascinates me more is the current availability of 3-D printers available to the consumer. Only a few months ago, one group took their idea to Kickstarter and raised something like 500% (not sure of the real number, but much more than they were asking), and just a month ago, it was announced that you can buy your off-the-shelf 3-D printer from Staples (or Office Max, etc) for about US$1200. Considering that the SLA machines just 10 years ago cost nearly US$1 million, and the last one I purchased cost about US$200k, that is a mighty leap. Also, those machines used cyanoacrylate-type materials so the cost of a prototype was several hundred dollars, and required a climate controlled room. Soon afterward, desktop 3-D printers came into being offering parts in many common materials, the most popular of which was ABS. Those parts were much cheaper, but the machines were still expensive. Now ANYONE can have their own, and those who do are making everything from toys for their kids, to parts for their hobbies, to works of art. Everyone from teachers, to designers, to tinkerers, to hobbyists are in in line.

Pretty cool stuff.

Kind regards ...

http://cubify.com/cube/index.aspx?gclid=CNKXheq7ybcCFcU7MgodOB8AKg

There are 3D printers for metal but the range of materials is severely limited. Another innovation I have seen is a company who 3D print in the wax used for investment casting so you get the benefit of free shape plus choice of materials.

I forget where I saw it, but someone developed a machine that used quick setting concrete to build an entire house. Doors and windows were later inserted.

I am thinking of replacement parts for antique vehicles & machinery. I know that printing of "cosmetic" parts has been available for some time--but don't know if anyone is doing it. Printing of "structural" parts would require metals with the strength of forgings. How does the grain structure of printed parts do with respect to mimicking a forging? (I'm not a metallurgist.)

From other replies, we may be there with materials, but I'm not sure about size since that seems to be limited. Another drawback is that these parts will have no STL file, and maybe no drawing of any sort--not even on paper. So, a digitizer would be needed to produce an appropriate file. I think these exist, but I don't understand how they handle hollow parts.

The plastic ones are normally plain additive, and inexpensive.

The metal ones work with a very fine powder. The printer squirts liquid binder. Then the next layer of hair fine metal powder is swept on. Repeat.

The next step is quite different. In an oven, melted metal seeps in the interstices and binds the whole into a solid. I met the technique a few years ago in making fascinating doorhandles in 3D, flat out not doable any other way. If you have to ask the price, you cannot afford it.

The technology is moving extremely fast. Watch the video below if you are interested in large scale, metal fabrication.

http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1392&doc_id=258652&cid=Newsletter+-+Special+Technology+Reports&dfpPParams=ind_183,industry_aero,industry_gov,bid_27,aid_258652&dfpLayout=blog&dfpPParams=ind_183,industry_aero,industry_gov,bid_27,aid_258652&dfpLayout=blog

I am teaching a summer workshop to help HS science build their own printers from scratch and fabricate some of their own equipment for pennies on the dollar compared to the educational supply stores. The printers are made from hardware store items, parts printed from other 3d printers, and a couple of custom parts.