3D Printing metal is not easy, it usually takes serious heat and/or serious laser power to melt metal particles together to make a 3D form.  A team at North Carolina State University have devised a method to 3D print liquid metal at room temperature using a thin oxide layer on the surface of the metal allows for the formation of mechanically stable structures strong enough to stand against gravity and the large surface tension of the liquid. The method is capable of printing wires, arrays of spheres, arches, and interconnects.

Check out the video of the printing in action that is worth watching for the soundtrack, let alone 3D printing liquid metal on a spider’s head…

Also note that the video has been sped up 40-50x so it is not a blindingly fast process.

liquid metal 3D Printer Shapeways

via 3Ders