
A basic, sub-$1,000 3D printer that prints metal - cdvonstinkpot
http://gigaom.com/2013/11/12/meet-the-mini-metal-maker-a-basic-sub-1000-3d-printer-that-prints-metal/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+OmMalik+%28GigaOM%3A+Tech%29
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christiangenco
This article adds little value to the story, and it's difficult to locate the
indiegogo link on that page.

Here's a direct link to the project:
[http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/minimetalmaker-a-
small-3d-...](http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/minimetalmaker-a-
small-3d-printer-that-fabricates-with-precious-metal-clay)

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bane
Anybody have a feel for how strong the "clays" are compared to ABS as well as
the actual metals?

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na85
Mechanical engineer here.

Metal clays have been around for a while. Physical properties depend greatly
on the base metal used and the temperature and environment in which the clay
is fired.

Compared to "regular" metal, the clays will be significantly weaker,
especially in tensile or shear loading. Not so much under compression.

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bbayer
So what about firing process for the printer? The video don't show the
finishing process. Is this heating table?

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DanBC
> _The device prints with a commercially available jewelry product known as
> "precious metal clay." This material is a pre-mixed emulsion of metal
> particles in a water soluble organic binder. When heated in a kiln
> (600˚C-900˚C) the binder burns away as the metal particles fuse together._

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ndonnellan
Related, from earlier this year on patents expiring:
[http://qz.com/106483/3d-printing-will-explode-
in-2014-thanks...](http://qz.com/106483/3d-printing-will-explode-
in-2014-thanks-to-the-expiration-of-key-patents/)

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buster
All the objects in the video look very... rough.. so i don't think i'd buy
that (and to actually print metal instead of plastic would be the only reason
for me to buy a 3d printer).

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davidHartkop
Agreed. They are rough, not bad for a prototype i built on salary of a part-
time library employee ;-> The quality will certainly improve. I have
demonstrated proof of concept & have clay trace widths down to 450 microns. I
have been able to print mini clay pots up to 25 layers tall. Clay blend
formula is current topic of R&D. The essential challenge is to extrude with
thick enough clay that it does not slump, yet thin enough to fuse together as
it dries. -david

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ohwp
I don't think this will sell. You can use a cheap printer to print wax in a
better resolution. And this printer also needs post processing just as the
lost wax method.

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pbhjpbhj
Firing a kiln is far easier, and safer, than running a [home-]foundry. You can
buy a kiln that plugs in the mains and sits on your desk or a small kiln that
goes in your microwave oven.

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tdawg2343
If any of you guys are interested, there are some good discussions going on
about this on Reddit. This one has been on there the longest, but it just got
put on the sub reddits Technology and realtech as well.

[http://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/1qrnjl/the_mini_...](http://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/1qrnjl/the_mini_metal_maker_an_exclusive_look_at_the/)

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danielsparks
[http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/11/16/the-mini-
me...](http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/11/16/the-mini-metal-maker-
an-exclusive-look-at-the-worl.aspx)

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taylorwc
>But maybe crazy fine resolution isn’t as important for metal.

I'm trying to think of any practical application for which fine resolution
isn't more important for metal than polymer

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VLM
Nobody's asked how much the "ink" costs? I have a feeling this is the kind of
stuff that makes inkjet ink sound cheap.

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bledfeet
no story yet where you can print metal's gun?

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VLM
At this point in technology its a lot easier to make those using subtractive
(traditional) machining rather than additive machining. Ask any gunsmith.
You'll get into all manner of weird definition games, like the legal one for
print your own is making a lower receiver, so are you cool with buying a COTS
barrel and everything else but the lower? Or you want to make that stuff too,
well, OK, are you cool with COTS firing pin and other very minor componenets?
Or are you cool with buying plain old screws from home depot or do you insist
on making those homemade too?

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itsuart
Is there printer that can print itself?

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eric_khun
It's the goal of the opensource RepRap project. To produce a pure self-
replicating device.
[http://reprap.org/wiki/RepRap](http://reprap.org/wiki/RepRap)

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mseidl
I get tired of this, it's not even close to self-replicating... it can only
print a few plastic joints it needs, but most of it is metal, electronics and
motors that cannot be 3d printed.

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eric_khun
I hope we will be able to do it soon. When we see all these awesome
kickstarter projects and all these millions $ invested in R&D. I think we will
reach soon another level

