The pinnacle of all 3D printing is thought to be metal printing. Nothing compares to metal in terms of strength and durability. Direct metal laser sintering was the first method of 3D printing metal, and it was patented in the 1990s by the German business. Since then, engineers have developed additional techniques for printing metal, some of which are wholly original and some of which diverge little from DMLS to merit their own patents. In general, each metal 3D printer will fit into one of these four categories.
- Metal Powder Bed Fusion: DMLS (direct metal laser sintering), SLM (selective laser melting), and EBM (electron beam melting) devices fall within this category. The PBF melting process creates metal components that are devoid of internal flaws and residual stresses, making them suited for the demanding applications found in the aerospace and automotive industries. The classification and history of PBF metal 3D printers are quite muddled, and they mostly concern the distinction between sintering and melting. The majority of metal 3D printing companies today use a form of melting rather than sintering, despite the fact that SLM and DMLS are technically distinct and the industry uses both acronyms. Instead of using a laser to melt the metal powder, EBM uses a powerful electron beam; as electron beams have a larger energy output and can reach higher temperatures than lasers, they can only be used to melt high-temperature superalloys.
- Metal Binder Jetting: Like laser sintering, binder jetting can process materials other than metals. The technique also makes it feasible to create objects out of the sand, porcelain, and full color. The fact that metal binder jetting machines run at room temperature prevents warping and eliminates the need for support. Binder jetting machines are a common option for small batch production runs and on-demand replacement parts because they can be much larger than powder bed fusion machines and objects can be stacked to use the whole build chamber.
- Direct Energy Deposition: LENS (laser-engineered net shaping) and DMD (direct metal deposition) machines are other names for DED 3D printing systems. Metal wire or metal powder can be used, and a plasma arc, laser, or electron beam can be used to melt materials. Since it is extremely similar to welding, one of its main uses is to repair and enhance existing metal pieces.
- Metal Material Extrusion: This technology was developed expressly to make metal 3D printing more affordable and available, and it has succeeded in doing so. Due in large part to its low cost, metal material extrusion has been quickly embraced by small and medium-sized businesses. Metal material extrusion machines are used by design studios, machine shops, and small manufacturers to execute small production runs, design iterations, and jig and fixture creation. Metal filaments that are compatible with the majority of desktop FDM 3D printers are the most recent innovation in this field, making metal 3D printing available to almost everyone.
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