Whats the benefits of metal 3D Printing? | IN3DTEC | Prototyping & On-demand manufacturing services

Benefits of metal 3d printing

Aluminum, Stainless Steel 316L, Maraging Steel (MS1), Titanium(Ti64)

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What is the performance of metal 3D printed parts compared with traditional processed ones? What materials are available in metal 3d printing? In which industries are metal printing can be used? How to design products based on its printing performance?

With the development of laser-based powder bed fusion, the first technology for metal Additive Manufacturing was established. Today we know more than 18 different metal 3D printing processes, so it is necessary to understand its performance and possibilities before choosing one.

Table of contents

It takes around 10 minutes to read.

>>Types of metal printing
>> Case Studies
>> Supported materials
>> Mechanical performance、Tolerance & smoothness
>> Surface finishes
>> Benefits & Limitations
>> Free design tips

>> Types of metal 3D Printing

Category	Technology & Definition	Photo
Powder	Selective Laser Metal Sintering （SLM, or DMLS)
	Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion
	Binder Jetting
	Powder Metallurgy Jetting
	Powder Feed Laser Energy Deposition
	Cold spray
Wire	Wire Arc / Plasma Arc Energy Deposition
	Liquid Metal Printing
Sheets	Ultrasonic Welding
Rods	Friction Deposition
Dispersion	Nanoparticle Jetting
Filament	Metal Filament Fused Deposition Modeling
Pellet	Metal Pellet Fused Deposition Modeling

Image Courtesy of AM POWDER INSIGHT DE

Among the above technologies, every technology has its advantages, so it is hard to say which one is good or bad. The most popular technologies are Binder jetting, DMLS, EBM, and SLM, free from residual stresses and internal imperfections.

>>Case Studies

Automotive
Metal printed cooling jacket, Material in Alsi10Mg with sand blasting and heat-treatment

Aerospace
Turbine

Medical
Surgical Implant, Medical-Ti64, Design by Sachith Fernando, Ataintl, printed at IN3DTEC factory

Jewelry
Titanium, SS316, Al10SiMg, Designed by Rawan Alderjem, Printed at IN3DTEC factory

Tooling
Stainless Steel 316

>> Supported materials

So far, there are almost more than 15 materials are available in the market, such as Aluminum-AlSi10Mg, Bronze, Copper, Maraging Steel(18Ni300), Stainless Steel(420, 316L, 15-5PH, 17-4PH), Inocel(718, IN625, GH3536), Titanium-Ti6Al4V, Silver, and more.

Please visit the below link to check the available materials’ TDS from IN3DTEC.
https://www.in3dtec.com/material-data-sheets/

>>Mechanical performance、Tolerance & Smoothness

	AlSi10Mg-AL	SS 316L	Maraging Steel-18Ni300	Titanium-Ti64
Mechanical Properties(As printed)
Density (g/cm3)	≥2.65	≥7.9	≥8.0	≥4.4
Tensile strength Mpa	430±30	637±50	1150±100	1150±70
Yield Strength Mpa	270	550±50	1050±100	1000±50
HRC	140±20 HV5/15	215±10 HV5/15	35±3HRC	360±30 HV5/15
Elongation after Fracture（%）	3±1	34±5	12±3	8±2
Mechanical Properties(Heat Treated)
Density (g/cm3)	≥2.65	≥7.9	≥8.0	≥4.4
Tensile Strength Mpa	350±50	600±50	1950±100	1050±70
Yield Strength	240±30	500±50	1900±100	950±50
HRC	75±20 HV5/15	190±10 HV5/15	53±3HRC	330±30 HV5/15
Elongation after Fracture（%）	6±1	45±5	4±2	12±2

Roughness as built: Ra7-9
Tolerance:Length within 100mm +/- 0,1mm; length >100mm, 100*0.1%mm

CNC Machining: When tighter tolerances than the standard ± 0.1 mm are required, machining is employed as a finishing step.

Heat-treatment: To improve the material properties of the part.
Polishing: Certain applications require a smoother surface than the standard RA 7 μm of as-printed.

>> Surface finishes

CNC Machining: For tighter tolerance than +-0.1m are required.
Sand-Blasting: To remove the visible layers on the surface
Electropolishing: To make a super smooth surface
Regular/Normal polish: By hand, to get a Roughness like machined parts

Anodizing, Plating: For parts that can be polished well, make a uniform or protection surface coating.

>> Benefits and limitations

Benefits:
+ Free-design your parts in a complex structure
+ Good accuracy and fine details
+ Various materials
+ Time and cost save for low-volume parts

Limitations:
– Cost is higher than CNC for simple parts
– Support structures should be paid more attention to
– Roughness is higher than CNC