What about the strength of printed metal?

Hi everybody.

I would like to know more about the force that metal printed objects can handle.
Are the objects printed in metal as strong as the same products printed in WSF?
Or is it a little stronger than the same product printed in WSF?
Or is a metal printed product as strong as a regular/original metal product with the same shape?

Already thanks for your reactions,

With kind regards,

Mark

Hi there,

I don't know if you saw this page :

https://www.shapeways.com/blog/archives/273-Stainless-Steel-f or-all.html

It has some info on strength, apparently it is quite strong.

Regards.

Curiously, it's as strong as steel...

Hi!
Here are a collection of threads that cover the properties of the SS-alloy used by Shapeways:

Strength and magnetism

Heat conductivity/corrosion

Strength/fatigue and a little heat info

I found them useful, hope they answer your questions too...

Thank you all for this information.

I was indeed not familiar with the blog article.

But I think is hard to believe that a steel product blurred out of a printer head is stronger than several types of structural steel. As specially when you consider that structural steel is made in a huge industrial foundry with temperatures up to 2200-2400 °C

Would one of you like to tell me more about how it is possible to get such powerful steel out of a printer.

The reason that I ask all this, is not only because it is making me more and more fascinated, but also because of this little design I made. (check the attachment if you like)

It’s an overhead wire portal for Dutch railroads.
For now is its to detailed to be printed, I’m afraid. But when it is so far that higher resolutions can be printed in this stainless steel, I will definitely try to get this, and “its brothers and sisters” printed.
The only thing is: When printed and in use, they will face a lot of pulling force from the wires. And it may not snap or break.

Already thanks a lot for the information,

With kind regards,

Mark

Mark,
I believe you are justified in questioning the strength data of this S.S. print media.
This material is very unlike any cast or forged material. It is a composite consisting of stainless steel AND bronze. Under a microscope it looks more like concrete than steel.
Part of the problem in determining actual rather than theoretical strength, yield, elongation and hardness is that it is made up of these two dissimilar metals. In a printed part the components exist together as separate grains, and NOT as an alloy. This makes engineering data very difficult to accurately access when compared to a relatively homogeneous material like steel. If you, or anyone else is considering producing parts, where a part failure could have life threatening consequences, a lot of real world testing must be done before putting a part into service.

-Glen G.