3D Metal Printer Project

3D Metal Printer Project:

This project consists of an Open source, low-cost 3D Metal Printer for developing and low income countries, using an electron beam to sinter the metal powder. This project have an extreme affinity in philosophy with Monero and would not be possible without this grant. Making 3D printers affordable can help decentralize production of various mass produced items.

This printer uses an electron beam to selectively melt each layer of metal powder, causing the powder particles to fuse together. After one layer is complete, the build platform is moved down one layer in height. The re-coater comes in again with a fresh layer of powder, and the electron beam starts to induce the fusion of powder particles, causing the new layer to form. This process is repeated until the entire part is finished, making a solid metal part. Each layer height is around 0.05mm to 0.1mm thickness.

Goals:

The goal is to make 3D Metal Printing more affordable to the general public, hospitals, small institutions, organizations and companies around the world. Specifically for developing and low income countries. This project fills a gap that no open hardware successfully fills. 3D Metal Printing is an impactful tool. Making it more accessible will democratize science, engineering and empower people. This low-cost hardware will be able to accelerate innovations in and lower barriers to scientific research.

The technical goal is to make a low cost 3D Metal Printer capable to work with titanium, stainless steel, aluminum, and other 3D metal printing powders. The electron beam focus point diameter is around 0.1mm, and the thickness of each layer of metal powder is 0.05mm to 0.1mm.

The initial work will take place in Chile. Then this project will continue to build and sustain collaboration with people around the world through it’s website wiki, collaborative websites, social networks, YouTube and other channels.

This 3D Metal Printer will use already available open source 3D Printing software, like Cura, Slic3r and others. So there is no proprietary software and no black boxes.

Also, we’d expect to constantly increase the number of active volunteers over the next months, since this is a global project, and anyone can collaborate.

Collaboration with others:

This project will stress the opportunities that are presented in pre-production, co-creation, customization, and collaboration through open processes of the 3D Metal Printer development. The final 3D Metal Printer can be created, modified, used, or distributed by anyone.

Specifically, the collaboration will be managed in two branches: -Software collaboration: The 3D Metal Printer project will create a GitHub page, so anyone can browse and download software repositories but only registered users can contribute content to repositories. With a registered user account, users can have discussions, manage repositories, submit software contributions to others’ repositories, and review code changes. -Hardware collaboration: The project will create a parent category for open science hardware project in GOSH Open Hardware website, where Hardware and operational tests will be fully documented, so anyone can browse and download the schematics, designs, etc. Only registered users can have discussions and submit hardware contributions to others.

The targets are professionals and amateurs, particularly in low incomes countries. Participation is not restricted to any particular background, country, race, sex, religion, etc. The use of 3D printing in a healthcare system for rural developing communities allows for a unique insight into product and technology adoptions processes in developing communities.

For hospitals located away from major cities, 3D Metal Printing will be practical when supplies run low. This is especially important in farming communities where patients from the nearby fields who come in with work-related injuries could be outfitted with custom splints that are 3D Metal Printed as needed.

We find that entrepreneurs will benefit from this project. Especially early stage entrepreneurs that are not yet financially secure enough to easily afford a 3D Metal Printer. Increasing access for these entrepreneurs ensures greater representation and impact, paving pathways to get these deep-tech innovations more efficiently into the market. Adopting open-source approaches play a key role in this process. The 3D Metal Printer design, plans, videos, schematics will be open and free for any person in the world.

Resources / infrastructure:

Currently, the project is being made in Chile, where the design, development and manufacturing of the equipment and parts are carried out.

It has laboratory equipment, such as oscilloscopes, microscopes, different measurement instruments, high voltage power sources, vacuum pumps, digital vacuum gauges, cooling systems for vacuum pumps, among others.

Additionally, there are automated CNC machines, a laser machine, a mechanical lathe, welding machines, computers, work spaces, and various electrical tools, to manufacture the necessary parts for the project.

Documentation / Outcomes:

The 3D Metal Printer Project will have a website wiki with the full documentation of the step-by-step instructions to build the 3D Metal Printer, hardware designs, the source code, videos, project reports, etc. Also, this material will be permanently available in collaborative websites, social networks, YouTube and other channels.

All these materials will be released under OSHWA-compatible licenses for hardware, free software licenses for software, and CC BY 4.0 or CC BY-SA 4.0 for others

Experimental plan:

Currently there is an advanced functional prototype, with more than 5 years of research and development with own capital. This prototype is used to carry out initial tests and verify technical aspects before making larger investments.

The most important technical challenges are already 70% solved. The functional prototype is composed of a vacuum chamber made of stainless steel, a vacuum pump system, an electron gun, high voltage power sources, electrical connections, cooling systems, sensors, among others.

At this time the prototype is capable of generating a 0.5mm diameter electron beam, focusing it on a metal surface and moving it in XY axis. In this way, it is possible to heat a metal piece using the electron beam. Currently, optimization of the electron gun is being worked on, evaluating different configurations to reduce the size of the spot from 0.5mm to 0.1mm in diameter or less.

After that technical milestone is met, the next step will be to add the Z-axis and a metal powder re-coater. The Z axis will be composed of a stepper motor, guides, linear bearings and a controller.

The metal powder will be ordered and 3D printing tests will be carried out on different metals (titanium, stainless steel, aluminum, etc.)

You can see the video of the advanced prototype here: 3D Metal Printer - Electron gun tests https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnYU1hB2ZDA

How much do you expect a final unit to cost? The material cost is under 10.000 USD. Commercial 3D Metal printers using electron beam can cost 1 million USD