A basic, sub-$1,000 3D printer that prints metal

http://gigaom.com/2013/11/12/meet-the-mini-metal-maker-a-basic-sub-1000-3d-printer-that-prints-metal/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+OmMalik+%28GigaOM%3A+Tech%29

by cdvonstinkpot • 13 years ago

87 33 13 years ago

gigaom.com

bane• 13 years ago

Anybody have a feel for how strong the "clays" are compared to ABS as well as the actual metals?

na852• 13 years ago

Mechanical engineer here.

Metal clays have been around for a while. Physical properties depend greatly on the base metal used and the temperature and environment in which the clay is fired.

Compared to "regular" metal, the clays will be significantly weaker, especially in tensile or shear loading. Not so much under compression.

gregpilling• 13 years ago

would they exceed 5000 psi in compression? and what drives the cost up? I noticed they have a steel clay. Is that real (ish) steel and could it be made for under $5 per pound (as a bulk material)?

bbayer• 13 years ago

So what about firing process for the printer? The video don't show the finishing process. Is this heating table?

christiangenco• 13 years ago

This article adds little value to the story, and it's difficult to locate the indiegogo link on that page.

Here's a direct link to the project: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/minimetalmaker-a-small-3d-...

bledfeet• 13 years ago

no story yet where you can print metal's gun?

ChuckMcM• 13 years ago

http://mashable.com/2013/11/11/3d-printed-metal-gun/

There are already metal printing processes which can manufacture firearms. Still expensive though. Its relatively straight forward to build a black powder musket in your garage though.

jared314• 13 years ago

That story just never made it to the front page.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6694279 (5 days ago)

VLM2• 13 years ago

At this point in technology its a lot easier to make those using subtractive (traditional) machining rather than additive machining. Ask any gunsmith. You'll get into all manner of weird definition games, like the legal one for print your own is making a lower receiver, so are you cool with buying a COTS barrel and everything else but the lower? Or you want to make that stuff too, well, OK, are you cool with COTS firing pin and other very minor componenets? Or are you cool with buying plain old screws from home depot or do you insist on making those homemade too?

itsuart3• 13 years ago

Is there printer that can print itself?

eric_khun3• 13 years ago

It's the goal of the opensource RepRap project. To produce a pure self-replicating device. http://reprap.org/wiki/RepRap

itsuart3• 13 years ago

Wow. We are closer to future than I thought. Thanks for the link!

mseidl• 13 years ago

I get tired of this, it's not even close to self-replicating... it can only print a few plastic joints it needs, but most of it is metal, electronics and motors that cannot be 3d printed.

ohwp2• 13 years ago

No, but printers can print their clone ;)

itsuart3• 13 years ago

Not all of them, and I was asking is there some progress in this area. I wonder if I'll see a factory-less society and how it will look like.

ohwp2• 13 years ago

I don't think this will sell. You can use a cheap printer to print wax in a better resolution. And this printer also needs post processing just as the lost wax method.

pbhjpbhj• 13 years ago

Firing a kiln is far easier, and safer, than running a [home-]foundry. You can buy a kiln that plugs in the mains and sits on your desk or a small kiln that goes in your microwave oven.

davidHartkop5• 13 years ago

printing in wax works great, but then you have to do lost wax:

1.attach sprues, 2.invest inplaster cast, 3. wax burn-out in kiln(which you still need), 4. centrifuge cast (with torch & crucible) 5. cast removal, 6. sprue removal (with saw, file) 7. fine clean-up (with dentist tools, fine files) 8. Surface finish.

With metal clay, you print, clean up like clay greenware, fire, and polish. equipment: printer, kiln, polishing misc.

buster• 13 years ago

All the objects in the video look very... rough.. so i don't think i'd buy that (and to actually print metal instead of plastic would be the only reason for me to buy a 3d printer).

davidHartkop5• 13 years ago

Agreed. They are rough, not bad for a prototype i built on salary of a part-time library employee ;-> The quality will certainly improve. I have demonstrated proof of concept & have clay trace widths down to 450 microns. I have been able to print mini clay pots up to 25 layers tall. Clay blend formula is current topic of R&D. The essential challenge is to extrude with thick enough clay that it does not slump, yet thin enough to fuse together as it dries. -david

ndonnellan• 13 years ago

Related, from earlier this year on patents expiring: http://qz.com/106483/3d-printing-will-explode-in-2014-thanks...

VLM2• 13 years ago

Nobody's asked how much the "ink" costs? I have a feeling this is the kind of stuff that makes inkjet ink sound cheap.

taylorwc• 13 years ago

But maybe crazy fine resolution isn’t as important for metal.

I'm trying to think of any practical application for which fine resolution isn't more important for metal than polymer

danielsparks• 13 years ago

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/11/16/the-mini-me...

tdawg2343• 13 years ago

If any of you guys are interested, there are some good discussions going on about this on Reddit. This one has been on there the longest, but it just got put on the sub reddits Technology and realtech as well.

http://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/1qrnjl/the_mini_...

A basic, sub-$1,000 3D printer that prints metal

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