RESEARCHERS SHOWCASE A SPEEDY NEW APPROACH TO PRINTING METAL

Summary from the TLDR newsletter

A team at MIT has announced a new method of 3D printing metal that prioritizes printing speeds and scale over resolution. It is capable of printing large aluminum parts at least 10 times faster than comparable metal additive manufacturing processes. The technique utilizes a bed of 100-micron glass beads to create a structure into which molten aluminum is deposited. The beads can stand intense temperatures while allowing heat to quickly dissipate. While the final product doesn't offer near the pinpoint accuracy of some other methods, the technique's quick turnaround makes it a candidate for revolutionizing the way metal printing and metal forming are currently handled.