Last month we talked about the world record for 3D printing speed. Loss of quality and resolution is inevitable; however, what happens when those aspects take a back seat? I mean printing a piece that won't win any beauty contest but guarantees basic functionality. In that direction points the new 3D metal printing method developed by a group of MIT researchers. Their system uses molten aluminum and can create objects like a table structure and chair legs in a matter of minutes.
3D printing with metal is nothing new. One of our first articles on the subject dates back to 2013, and we also remember the mini jet engine that General Electric printed in 2015. This technology has advanced a lot since then, but one thing is printing custom parts with high precision, and another is rapid prototyping with immediate applications. That brings us to MIT, where researchers have presented a new additive method based on liquid metal... aluminum, to be exact.
Want an Aluminum Chair? Print It!
In relaxed terms, the technique applies molten aluminum onto a predefined path with glass microspheres, using a graphite crucible and a ceramic nozzle. The microspheres not only serve as a "bed" for printing but also allow rapid cooling of the metal, forming the desired structure. According to the researchers, this liquid metal printing is ten times faster than other similar additive methods, and its process to heat and melt the aluminum is more efficient.
Obviously, resolution is not a priority here: the goal is to print large components faster and at lower cost. In their demonstration, the researchers managed to print table and chair parts strong enough to allow additional adjustments without compromising their integrity. In fact, liquid metal printing minimizes the possibility of cracks and deformation.
Even so, it wasn't easy to reach this point. Molten aluminum is not a "patient" material, so to speak, and can destroy everything in its path. The selection of ceramic nozzles and glass microspheres required multiple tests, and there are still details to resolve. The good news? Everything that is built can be recycled in minutes.
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