7 ms·
Isn't that the whole point of the reprap projects? You're going to be waiting a while if you're hoping for a 3D printer that you can buil at home and can churn
by brntn 14y ago
Isn't that the whole point of the reprap projects?
You're going to be waiting a while if you're hoping for a 3D printer that you can buil at home and can churn out steel rods, bolts and belts.
- kephra 14y agoPwdr can do aluminum oxide and likely also other sinter metals.
- Wingman4l7 14y agoA step in the right direction. I've always felt that home 3D printers will truly become a game changer only when they can make metal items, like DMLS[1] does. [1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_metal_laser_sintering http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_metal_laser_sintering
- iamwil 14y agoNot all valuable parts are made of metal. You can do plenty with plastic already. Just look around you.
- itmag 14y agoA machine that can make metal parts from a blueprint can also make all kinds of weapon. Do you think such a 3d printer would be legally available to the general public?
- jsmcgd 14y agoThey already are. They're not cheap though.
- itmag 14y agoThat's interesting. I would think that a machine capable of making arbitrary metal parts would very quickly be subjected to heavy government regulations?
- Wingman4l7 14y agoThe parent poster is probably referring to CNC milling machines. AFAIK, gun parts made on them are subject to the same regulation/registration as if they were purchased in a store or made in a machine shop. Also, using CNC machines takes skill -- they're not "set and forget" -- and I would imagine that the kind of people with said skill are smart enough not to tempt fate and make illegal gun parts.
- itmag 14y agoYeah, that's what I thought. My surprise was at the notion of set and forget machines for arbitrary metal parts.
- itmag 14y agoWhy the downvote? I was just pointing out something that the gov't is sure to latch on to.
- Wingman4l7 14y agoActually, there was a big kerfuffle on Thingiverse when someone published, as proof of concept, a design for a plastic rifle magazine: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:11636 http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:11636
- Wingman4l7 14y agoPeople have also done the lower receivers for the same rifle (an AR-15): http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:11770 http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:11770
- wetterhorn 14y agoIndeed, I've tried alumina, but any other powder materials should work. Creating a solid part is done by sintering or fixating (e.g. with resin)
- kephra 14y agowhat type of laser do you use for the SLS process?
- wetterhorn 14y agoThe SLS process hasn't been implemented for the Pwdr machine yet, but a small IR Laser has been used by others for SLS: http://builders.reprap.org/2010/02/first-tests-building-powder-based.html http://builders.reprap.org/2010/02/first-tests-building-powd...