Ping BeeAMaker - Metal Printing

[Ed McDonnell]

Hi BeeAMaker - When I've looked at your various attempts to print pens I've found myself thinking "that would be pretty neat printed in metal". Recently (as in last night) I came across an add for metal filled pla filament that can be extruded at 195c to 220c. They claim 80% metal (for the Bronze and Copper, no claim for Stainless steel that I saw) that can be polished to a high sheen just like metal. That would seem to bring metal printing down to a price point that might be relatively affordable.

Have you had the chance to try any of these or know anyone who has?

Ed

 

[magpens]

I am interested in the answer too.

 

[Marmotjr]

Hi BeeAMaker - When I've looked at your various attempts to print pens I've found myself thinking "that would be pretty neat printed in metal". Recently (as in last night) I came across an add for metal filled pla filament that can be extruded at 195c to 220c. They claim 80% metal (for the Bronze and Copper, no claim for Stainless steel that I saw) that can be polished to a high sheen just like metal. That would seem to bring metal printing down to a price point that might be relatively affordable.

Have you had the chance to try any of these or know anyone who has?

Ed

I'll cross post this on one of my 3d printing forums I'm on, see what they think.
Metal filled filament Q

 

[Ed McDonnell]

I'll cross post this on one of my 3d printing forums I'm on, see what they think.
Metal filled filament Q

Thanks Thad.

Ed

 

[Flush1974]

Hey Bee,

Came across this.
https://pinshape.com/blog/3d-printing-metal/

 

[Ed McDonnell]

It would appear that there are no users here and none on the 3D printing forum cross-posted above. I wonder if that means no one has any direct / indirect experience or nobody wants to comment. Seemed like something worth trying. I would try it, if I had a 3D printer.

Oh well.

Ed

 

[Skie_M]

Seriously ... I'm certain that 3D printing metal or metallized pens is more than possible ... You do know that there is a company down in Texas that is printing guns, right?

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Over the years, I've seen beautiful metal printing results using printers that cost many hundreds of thousands of dollars. Sadly, those printers are just a bit beyond my toy budget.

The metal filled pla filament I was asking about cost around $30 a spool and supposedly allowed you to print "metal" with printers that cost hundreds of dollars (maybe a few thousand for a higher end hobby printer). I found myself wondering if metal printing could actually be within my reach. It seems too good to be true.

So, it wasn't a question if I COULD print metal. It was a question if I could now afford to print metal.

Ed

 

[Skie_M]

Well, Ed ... those PLA filaments are mostly plastic. They give you a "look and appearance" of metal, but not the actual qualities of metal such as strength and durability.

Not even the higher end machines that use metal particle deposition can give you that, with the exception of the laser metal deposition sintering technique, which bonds metal layer upon metal layer without the use of a binding agent that is plastic, or the technique that melts the binding agent out and floods the part with molten bronze or brass alloy to take up the space as the new binder, and those are going to cost you somewhere in the hundred-thousand dollar range for all the required equipment.

If you REALLY want to "print" metal and keep it affordable, with some of the ease of a 3D printer involved ... I would suggest you use the 3D printer to craft your primary model. Use that to create a silicone mold negative ... use the new mold to create wax positives, and use the wax to create 1-time use lost wax process molds in which to pour your molten metal.

Another alternative would be to use the wax positives or the primary model to create a ceramic mold negative that can withstand the heat of molten metals ... and simply cast your metal parts from that.

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Directly printing metal would allow me to do some things that would not be achievable through subtractive machining and / or casting.

The thing is that they claim these new filaments are 80+% metal. That would make it way more than metal looking plastic. It supposedly has the weight, thermal conductivity and surface reactivity of metal. But it can be extruded at temperatures within reach of many hobby grade 3D printers. The strength appears (from videos I've seen) to be adequate for things like jewelry and pens, but you wouldn't want to make structural components from it.

Wish someone here had tried it so I could get some first hand feedback.

Ed

 

[BeeAMaker]

Sorry for the long delay - next time maybe PM me??? I just now happened to see this post.

The metal infused filaments you are talking about are not what they claim ot be - Yes it is metal but remember it still has a polymer base and they are subject to to everything the plastic filaments are, so... it might as well be printed in plastic.

However, there are other types that you can Anneal after printing, the down side is a 10 to 20% reduction in size,

The best I have seen so far (affordable) is a printer that prints in clay metals. Basically the metal is mixed with clay. Once printed you fire it in a kiln. This burns away the slip and fuses the metal together. it comes out 98% metal and less than 1% reduction in size. I'll see if I can locate the information on it.

But to answer your question, yes. 3D printing in metal is totally possible.

 

[BeeAMaker]

Here is one of the metal printers I was talking about,
DIY 3D Printing: Mini Metal Maker DIY metal clay 3d printer


Also, printing with the plastic metal infused filaments where out the brass print nozzle quickly so a lot of people don't use it. I have a Hardened steel nozzle so that don't happen. I have some bronze fill PLA filament, I could give it a try this weekend maybe just to see how it turns out. But like I said, it is subject to all the rules as iff I printed it in plastic. The nozzle just does not get hot enough to fuse the metal together directly, it relies on the plastic to hold it in place. But it would add some nice weight to the pen.

 

[mark james]

clay metals.[/COLOR] Basically the metal is mixed with clay. Once printed you fire it in a kiln. This burns away the slip and fuses the metal together. it comes out 98% metal and less than 1% reduction in size. I'll see if I can locate the information on it.

While I have been following this thread, this is only a tangental contribution to the main discussion: A recent pen added to the IAP Collection included as a major element - Clay Metal.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f269/iap-collection-pen-50-a-147345/


View in Gallery

 

[Skie_M]

Here is one of the metal printers I was talking about,
DIY 3D Printing: Mini Metal Maker DIY metal clay 3d printer


Also, printing with the plastic metal infused filaments where out the brass print nozzle quickly so a lot of people don't use it. I have a Hardened steel nozzle so that don't happen. I have some bronze fill PLA filament, I could give it a try this weekend maybe just to see how it turns out. But like I said, it is subject to all the rules as iff I printed it in plastic. The nozzle just does not get hot enough to fuse the metal together directly, it relies on the plastic to hold it in place. But it would add some nice weight to the pen.

Use the special coated brass printing nozzles that are low friction/high heat transfer. Stainless steel has better wear qualities, yes, but much less thermal conductivity ... they loose too much heat.

 

[BeeAMaker]

These are some expensive ones. (pocket change)
Direct Metal Printers | DMP Machines | 3D Printing | Bastech