Fascinating Vector-Driven Metal 3D Printing From Harvard

By on May 31st, 2016 in research

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Researchers at Harvard have developed a truly fascinating 3D printing technique that shows the limitations of current technologies. 

They call it, ā€œprinting metal in midairā€, and thatā€™s pretty much exactly what happens. Basically they have developed a way to flow a liquid ā€œinkā€ containing silver nanoparticles to a nozzle, whereupon they are blasted mercilessly with a high power laser. The energy instantly melts the silver, which almost as instantly solidifies into a structure. By moving the nozzle quickly through space, the print seems to require no support material. 

This is because a) the metal solidifies before drooping can occur, and b) itā€™s metal. Metal is strong!

Hereā€™s a quick video to show how this actually works. Watch carefully and you’ll see the nozzle lift off the surface and print in mid-air: 

For me, this highlights a major limitation in current 3D printing approaches: rasterization. Essentially, all 3D print technologies today use a ā€œrasterizationā€ technique in which the object is divided up into layers which are successively built. 

While this approach is more-or-less efficient when printing certain geometries, like a vase or solid object, it is not at all efficient when printing a more complex object that has many separated structures. The rasterization technique requires vast movements to and from elements distantly located on the print plate. If only those tentacles could be printed vertically, weā€™d avoid a ton of extruder movement!

But now, thatā€™s actually true. The Harvard technique DOES permit individual elements to be printed in isolation and without regard for layers.

 Metal objects 3D printed in vector fashion at Harvard
Metal objects 3D printed in vector fashion at Harvard

Here we see some sample prints using the new technology. Imagine how efficient it could be to print them by merely following the curve of the wings. 

Those familiar with laser cutting will definitely appreciate this new approach; in laser cutting, ā€œrasterā€ operations are very slow compared to ā€œvectorā€ cutting. The same should be true with this new 3D printing approach. 

To be very clear, the software required to develop a 3D (instead of 2D) tool path for arbitrary geometries is not going to be straightforward, but if made, it could revolutionize how prints are done. There could be very significant speed advantages of doing so. 

Via Harvard (Hat tip to Tom)

By Kerry Stevenson

Kerry Stevenson, aka "General Fabb" has written over 8,000 stories on 3D printing at Fabbaloo since he launched the venture in 2007, with an intention to promote and grow the incredible technology of 3D printing across the world. So far, it seems to be working!