3D-printed METAL 1911

[njineermike]

Laser sintering is pretty pricey. I have a friend on the east coast who is a machinist and is learning all he can about this because he feels this is the future of machining. Once they get the technology of the materials better, he feels it will pretty much completely replace reductive machining to a huge extent. One thing about sintering that I haven't heard being overcome yet is the various steel hardening methods. Hammering hot steel (aka forging) causes a crystal alignment that strengthens the steel itself by grain alignment similar to the alignment of the grain of wood, which gives wood its relative strength. Last I heard sintering didn't have grain alignment, so he part was relatively weak, like a cast part. Casting involves pouring molten metal into a form, resulting in a more random alignment of the structure, which is relatively weaker than metal that has been forged. I'd love to read more about what hardening methods they use (or invent if need be) to augment the sintering process.