Metal 3D Printing for Fast Prototyping

When most people think about 3D printing technology, they consider it to be a manufacturing process that is limited to working exclusively with plastics. This is no longer the case. 3D printing technology, especially in industrial settings, has already achieved the capacity to create metal products. It is the ideal technology for metal prototypes, as this guide will show.

How does metal 3D printing work?

Metal 3D printing retains most of the mechanical elements used in 'traditional' plastics-based 3D printing. The desired metallic components are melted and added in layers to create the designed product. With metals having a high melting point, a powerful laser is used during the melting process. There are two types of metal 3D printing SLM (Selective Laser Melting) and DSLM (Direct Metal Laser Sintering). SLM is used when working with a single metal while DSLM is used when working with alloys. In terms of how they work, though, there is no significant difference. In this article, we will be considering both variations when talking about metal 3D Printing.

Speed and precision

One of the biggest selling points offered by metal 3D printing is the precision that it can achieve. Once your design is fed into the 3D printer, the final model will accurately match it up to measurements that are a thousandth of a millimeter. Moreover, metal 3D printing can accurately actualize unusual and complex geometries that can't be matched by other manufacturing methods such as CNC machining. Metal 3D printing is also faster than CNC machining when manufacturing a small batch of products - which makes it the perfect technology when you need rapid prototyping services.

Metal 3D printing applications

To understand metal 3D printing applications, we first need to look at some of its characteristics for context. Metal 3D printing is very costly, in comparison with other prototyping technologies. This cost comes from its ability to work with complex metals such as superalloys and precious metals. It also delivers light-weight and robust end products. This makes it the perfect manufacturing technology for light and high-performance products. It is used widely in creating parts used in the aviation and aerospace industries. It also delivers high quality and precision-crafted jewellery items. Another application for metal 3D printing is the manufacture of high-end performance parts for motorsports. When working with superalloys, your options are usually limited to metal 3D printing since other technologies are inadequate.