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Printing Aluminum

Discussion in 'Off Topic' started by mark tomlinson, Oct 25, 2017.

  1. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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  2. WheresWaldo

    WheresWaldo Volunteer ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
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    Interesting, so basically they took an SLS printer and gave it a special filament powder that reacts slightly differently than other filament powders.
     
  3. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    We are working with BASF on stainless steel FDM filament that goes through a debind then sinter process. :D. If it works will keep you posted. Damn expensive. 1030.00 for 3KG
     
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  4. daniel871

    daniel871 Well-Known Member

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    Printing aluminum (not on an FDM machine)
     
  5. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    I had heard about the post-FDM sintering routine. Let us know how that works out.
     
  6. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    Marks video is not, my trials will be :D. I cant stomach a sls machine right now :D
     
  7. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    Weve done it with the Virtual Foundry stuff and it works but this stuff has to be debinded and sintered. So they have a deal worked out where you print it and send it to their partner as a green part who debinds and sinters the part for you. Unless you want to buy a 15K debinding machine :D We very well may if it works awesome, but if its just meh...well :D lol. at 1000+ per 3kg (you know how little is on a spool of bronzefill) and 3kg being the minimum quantity it may be a once and done type of thing.
     
  8. daniel871

    daniel871 Well-Known Member

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    At that price point for the mass you're getting pretty close to just having it made with traditional manufacturing processes unless it's super intricate/hollow.
     
  9. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    There are some items (IE large 2 inch stainless steel cog gear) that are specialty items that even waterjetting the taper is unavoidable and unacceptable. Stainless gear at 600.00 is still far far cheaper than the post machining after waterjetting to take out the taper after labor hours :D
     
  10. daniel871

    daniel871 Well-Known Member

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    Any particular reason you couldn't have it machined on a CNC lathe out of cylinder stock?
     
  11. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    Ever cut a gear before? Time consuming- wouldn't' do it on a lathe, would have to be done on a mill and would take more hours than could be charged for (expecially considering the quantity needed)
     
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  12. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    He gets it :)
    WaterJet or laser cutter (a really bad ass one) is the best approach (for a gear like that).
     
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  13. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    indeed. Both of which have deflection and taper that can somewhat be accounted for, but not enough. Printing a green part you can easily clean up and deviation then send to debind and sinter. Very low man hours = affordable pricing for a small quantity that is needed. The more a machinist has to touch a part the more expensive it gets.
     
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  14. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Folk ain't cheap :)
    People are always the expensive part of the process
     
  15. daniel871

    daniel871 Well-Known Member

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    Pretty sure that doing it on a proper CNC lathe/machining center is fairly easy since hobbyists are posting videos on Youtube where they are setting up their hobby CNC lathes to do it.
     
  16. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    I would love to see them accurately mill such gear with a custom tooth pitch (not standard, not metric, custom) out of stainless steel :D. machining for commercial clients is much harder than most give credit. Not impossible, not financially viable, for us nor the client. Each gear would be well over 2k.
     
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  17. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    That totally depends on the specs you have to meet. What sort of tolerances are they getting?
    It may not be apples to oranges.

    edit: whut @Geof sez.
     
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  18. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    Indeed. I have yet to see a hobbyist style machine that can compete with the machining centers we have. Even past that still is the amount of set up time, programming, tooling costs etc. It all adds up (and stainless aint cheap if you screw up :D )
     
  19. daniel871

    daniel871 Well-Known Member

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    The point was that a properly set up machine shop could probably make it quicker/less expensively than the print-debind-sinter development you're looking at if it's going to cost you $600 for a single piece/$1,000 for 3kg of material, not that a hobbyist can do it.

    If you've already properly designed the part and drawn it up, then the only cost on their end on setup is going to be in programming.
     
  20. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    Bill out for 600 :D. Instead of well over 2k. Client saves, we make money, all is good in the world. Chunks of stainless is damn expensive. :D
     

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