Why there are no ALUMENIUM Printing on Shapeways?

Discussion in 'Suggestions & Feedback' started by Mohsen_Abbasi, Oct 8, 2013.

  1. Mohsen_Abbasi
    Mohsen_Abbasi Well-Known Member
    Hi every body,

    i hade to print with silver, because there are no alumenium in the material list!

    Why?

    It is very important for my applications
     
  2. Youknowwho4eva
    Youknowwho4eva Well-Known Member
    We are working to add more materials, especially those our community wants. I've moved this to suggestions so others can express their want for Aluminum if they'd like.
     
  3. Mohsen_Abbasi
    Mohsen_Abbasi Well-Known Member
    Nice. Aluminium is important for some applications.
     
  4. TrainThingz
    TrainThingz Member
    Frankly, I don't see widespread aluminum fabricating for consumers happening any time soon. I suspect the best we're going to have for a while is the alumide.

    Aluminum is a difficult material to form in the way a 3D printer needs to do it. It's easy to cast, and simple to forge, bend, or cut, but difficult to melt with precision or weld, and incredibly dangerous as a fine powder... as in highly explosive and burns very hot. It's one of the components of Thermite, after all. There are outfits that do it with a process called "Direct Metal Laser Sintering", but it's an industrial-grade process with industrial-grade costs.

    Yes, it can be done... but you'll probably find it's going to be nearly as expensive as the silver when all is said and done, if for no other reason than the safety precautions that will be necessary.

     
  5. mkroeker
    mkroeker Well-Known Member
    I have recently noticed that ExOne (the company behind shapeways "stainless") also produces machinery that prints forms for sand casting.
    Still "nearly as expensive as the silver" is probably a good estimate..
     
  6. Mohsen_Abbasi
    Mohsen_Abbasi Well-Known Member
    If aluminum as expensive as silver, then you can also take silver.

    I'll try silver. I'm waiting for a part that I print with silver.
     
  7. Youknowwho4eva
    Youknowwho4eva Well-Known Member