Page 36 - 3D Metal Printing Winter 2018

3D FEATURE
Here’s What’s Coming in
3D Metal-Printing Technology
BY BRAD F. KUVIN, PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
“After years of there being zero metal-extrusion printers,” says Cullen Hilkene, CEO of 3Diligent,“there will be two coming to the commercial market in 2018—machines from Desktop Metal (the Studio System, left) and Markforged (the Metal X, right). These technologies promise new materials and a higher degree of user-friendliness for metal printing.”
We’ve turned the corner to 2018, and in doing so we can’t help but attempt to peek into the crystal ball for what’s in store for metal additive manufacturing (AM) during the next several months. For some perspective, we spoke with Cullen Hilkene, CEO of 3Dili- gent (www.3diligent.com) a digital-man- ufacturing company providing 3D printing, CNC machining, and molding and casting services, from prototypes to production.
We asked Hilkene, what will the next year hold for 3D-printing technology?
The Arrival of Metal Extrusion
“First,” says Hilkene, “is the arrival of extrusion metal printing. On the polymer side of things, extrusion printers have become the most common in the market because of their relative user friendliness. Now, after years of there being zero metal- extrusion printers, there will be two com-
ing to the commercial market in 2018— machines from Desktop Metal and Mark- forged. These technologies promise new materials and a higher degree of user- friendliness for metal printing.
“These systems,” continues Hilkene, “are built on metal injection-molding principles, which allow them a bit more variability in powder characteristics—less- stringent requirements on particle size and shape, for example. This also should help the technology with cost effectiveness because customers can leverage the mature powder supply chain established for metal injection molding (MIM). The cost benefits can be significant, for the right applications. It also opens the door to a few alloys not readily processed by powder bed systems. For example, with powder-bed, we see 316L, 15-5 and 17-4 stainless grades, but not 303 stainless steel. Type 303 is one of a slew of materials
not commonly processed by powder-bed systems that can run in extrusion machines. As a general rule of thumb: If a MIM system can process the alloy, there’s a good chance that advanced research is underway to ensure extrusion-style metal- AM machines also can.”
Lastly, their relative user friendliness may open up new venues for metal addi- tive. “Powder-bed and binder jetting machines,” says Hilkene, “require han- dling of loose powder. Extrusion printers jacket that powder in a polymer, which should open up new environments for running the machines.”
Any Warnings for Companies Jumping Into This Technology?
“Before running out and purchasing an extrusion printer for metal AM, take care to fully understand the process and its tradeoffs relative to alternatives,”
34 | 3D METAL PRINTING • WINTER 2018
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