3D printed metal and heat conductivity?

If I make a flat plate and get it made with the Stainless Steel material option... could I burn on that material or would it melt it?

For example... if I create a small plate / bowl and burned:

[list type=square]
[*] Candle
[*] Incense
[*] Matches
[*] Paper
[/list]

Would any of these items negatively affect the material throughout multiple and successive burnings?

Hi, randomblink,

The stainless steel material is definitely strong and temperature-resistant enough to withstand the conditions you mention. Other than its porosity it has similar properties to most other stainless steel items you are familiar with. As you'll see, however, buying something plate-sized would be quite expensive indeed.

Sincerely,
Jeff Coleman
Terra Cotta Personal Fabricators

Thanks for the reply...

Hi,

Melting temperature is 1528 F / 831 C.

Cheers!

Robert

Thank you very much... that's exactly what I needed to know...

Definitely won't melt,
BUT, the particular stainless alloy used in this composite (alloy # 420) is not super corrosion resistant. It will discolor from moderate exposures to heats of , + 600º F. This is not to say it would look bad, just that it would change. The composite will also rust if it is subjected to high moisture environments for extended periods. Again, this is not necessarily ugly. This behavior can be exploited to produce interesting patinas.

-G

For those who know...

I'd like to try using the stainless steel for gobos within Robe's ColorSPot 575W lighitng instruments. Not sure of what the maximum temperature is in there, but it should be fine based on what was mentioned above.

Question is, what is the thinnest that Stainless Steel can print to, reasonably. I'd like .5 mm, but could live with up to 2mm.

- Sean Harrington, Tech Director, 1STAGE Repertory

Hi Steve;

Minimum Walltickness: 3mm
Minimum Detail: 0.1mm

You can read all about all of the available Materail options here:

https://www.shapeways.com/about/material-options

Very good! Thanks for the link. I was having problems finding it, and I knew I had seen it.

So, to have a disc that is 27mm in diameter (with a cut-out design in the center), the thinnest it can be is 3mm, correct?

When does the "minimum detail" of .1mm come into play, only when sitting on top of a part that's already 3mm?

Anyway to use sprues or other somewhat removable pieces to achieve the same effect and keep the core thickness of the disc to 0.5mm - 1.0mm?

Also, I did upload a model that was 3mm thick, but Stainless Steel was not an option. Does it have to be 3.1mm to pass "the test"?

- Sean