The University of Twente have developed Pwdr, an open source powder-based rapid prototyping machine. Its goal
is to promote experiments and innovations in powder-based
rapid-prototyping. The machine is ready to use both the 3DP as the SLS
process with minimal adaption, although the printer is currently prepped
for 3DP.
A whole new range of materials become available for experimenting with
open-source rapid-prototyping; for example, when using the 3DP process:
gypsum, ceramics, concrete, sugar, etc (similar to zcorp). And when the SLS process is
fully supported, plastic materials like ABS, PP, Nylon and metals become
available as building material.
Could this be the first DIY desktop 3D Printer to support laser sintering as the BluePrinter is proposing with their Selective Heat Sintering, except with no reliance on the manufacturer dictating the cost of the material? This will make a massive change to the desktop 3D Printing ecosphere.
A Hewlett Packard inkjet cartridge is
used for the deposition of binder. The cartridge can be refilled with
custom binders using a syringe. A custom binder of 20% alcohol and 80%
water has been proven to work.
Things may start heating up now, even if we have not seen this machine in action yet…
In our factory we have a lot very thin steel powder, do you think that could be used in a 3d printing machine? We need fast prototyping, also.