When people think of 3D printing, all sorts of plastics and polymers usually first come to mind. However, many are unaware that metals too can be used in 3D printing. Metal printing, often referred to as metal 3D printing or metal additive manufacturing, is a relatively new technology in the additive production space. 

Metal 3D Printing: Future of Manufacturing

As demand for manufacturing materials and design complexities grow, 3D metal printing technology helps to address a few constraints that traditional metal manufacturing processes face:

  • Complexity: Unlike traditional manufacturing processes that mostly utilise material removal techniques, additive manufacturing processes add layers of material progressively until the desired shape is achieved. This approach naturally supports higher design complexities such as enclosed features, intertwined features etc. As such, this increased capability allows you to create highly-customised metal designs that meet your needs.
  • Rapid Prototyping: Due to the additive nature of this manufacturing process, it allows for quick iteration and testing of designs, thereby accelerating your product development process.
  • Cost: For low-volume productions, metal printing is cheaper than more traditional metal fabrication processes such as casting or CNC machining. This can be attributed to less material wastage during the additive manufacturing process, reduced machine setup costs and manpower costs to run the 3D printing machines.

This list of advantages is non-exhaustive and can grow to include others depending on the methods used for metal printing. As such, it is no wonder that this relatively new technology is quickly gaining traction in the world of design and manufacturing!

Metal Printing Methods

Like all manufacturing technology, there exists various methods for metal 3D printing - each with its own capabilities and restrictions:

  1. Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) Technology

Uses a laser to sinter (partially melt) metal powder, binding the particles together.

  1. Selective Laser Melting (SLM)

SLM®500 Metal Additive Manufacturing System

Uses a laser to fully melt and fuse metal powder, creating a dense and solid final product.

  1. Electron Beam Melting (EBM)

Transformative technology—Electron Beam Melting (EBM)

Uses an electron beam in a vacuum to melt metal powder, similar to SLM but in a vacuum environment.

Choosing the Right 3D Printing Method

Selecting a metal 3D printing service usually involves evaluating several factors which include the range of materials offered, the expertise of the service provider, and the quality of the final product. As such, we have compiled a quick reference guide for comparing the suitability of the various 3D metal printing methods:

Method - DMLS

Pros

  • Cheaper
  • Allows for metal combinations to be used in a single print

Cons

  • Produces more porous parts
  • Parts have poorer mechanical properties
  • Produces rough part surfaces

Method - SLM

Pros

  • Parts produced has better mechanical properties
  • Produces smoother part surfaces

Cons

  • More expensive 
  • Only allows a single metal type to be used in a print

Method - EBM

Pros

  • Much faster process time

Cons

  • Very limited capability
  • Very expensive
  • Less accurate
  • Not commonly used in industry

Some Common Materials

Aluminium Alloys

(AlSi10Mg)

Applications:

  • Aerospace and automotive parts with complex geometries
  • General metal prototyping parts

Pros

  • Highly suitable for metal prototyping
  • Low weight
  • Good strength and hardness
  • Excellent machinability and post-processing flexibility

Stainless Steel

316L, PH1 (15-5) , 17-4PH

Applications:

  • Tooling applications
  • Automotive parts

Pros

  • Good corrosion resistance
  • Good strength and hardness

Maraging Steel M300

Applications:

  • Tooling & moulding applications

Pros

  • Excellent corrosion resistance
  • High strength and hardness
  • Excellent machinability

Some Exotic Materials

Cobalt-Chromium-Molybdenum (CoCrMo) Alloys

Applications:

  • Aerospace and automotive parts
  • Medical and dental implants

Pros

  • Very high strength
  • High temperature & corrosion resistance
  • Biocompatible
  • Excellent Machinability

Nickel Inconel

625, 718

Applications:

  • High-temperature parts used in aerospace and automotive
  • Parts in corrosive environments in maritime and oil & gas industries

Pros

  • High strength
  • Good corrosion resistance
  • Easily weldable
  • Excellent heat resistance

Titanium Grade 5

(Ti6Al4V)

Applications:

  • Aerospace and automotive
  • Medical

Pros

  • High strength-to-weight ratio
  • Excellent corrosion resistance,
  • High-temperature resistance
  • Biocompatible

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