1 Topic by Manx

  • Manx
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Topic: Crazy thought

im not sure how well this would work but let me start off with sometimes i have wierd ideas

most 3d printers work in a temperature range of up to 280c or 536f
(i do not know how to make the degree symbol)

most solder will melt at about 500f and i'm not even sure you would want it to be molten or plastic but is it possable you could get a printer that would make metal parts? usign say a solidoodle with a form of solder filament? or would there be another form of metal filament that woudl work better? if so what would it be?

From my research there are a few that might work or posaably a few that as an alloy may work

tin
bismuth
cadmium but it is poisonous
pewter
lead poisonous

So you would want an alloy that would be plastic around 500f not that doesn't have lead or cadmium

2 Reply by Tomek (edited by Tomek 2013-01-20 22:38:06)

  • Tomek
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Re: Crazy thought

Hi Manx, your problem would be the charactertistics of solder do not flow well.  Or, they flow too much. Just imagine if the "ooze effect" of pla was 20x worse. It's possible, but you need unique situations.


For more information, google 'reprap solder printing' and 'reprap metal printing' and 'reprap low temp metal'


There's a ton of information available smile.



Personally, I am far more interested in casting metals with 3D printed molds. The characteristics of low-temp metals are pretty boring compared to plastics (which often have similar strengths, and can be printed at better resolution). And, when the low temp metals do have good properties, they tend to be too toxic or exotic.

3 Reply by devilman2075

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Re: Crazy thought

In theory there is a possibility that there would be metals within the temperature range of the solidoodle. I think I've read something about reprap printers printing parts with tracks and filling the tracks with solder, but something like solder, you will have very little control over, and I don't know how you'd overcome that.  Nor would I even recommend experimenting with it,  I can't imagine any option trying to print metal wouldn't involve upgrading something at some point

4 Reply by ronsii

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Re: Crazy thought

There are plenty of metals that melt between 120F and 600F most of the lower melting point ones get to be pretty spendy. Another problem with metals is most of them don't get 'sticky' like plastics so they do not 'bond' well in the plastic temp range in fact they don't like to at melt temp either especially in a regular atmosphere. I currently cast lead free pewter(mostly tin) and have used various different materials for the master models including plaster, abs,epoxies, wax,pvc's and quite a few others. The problem I have with using plastics and other melt-able materials is with the rubber molds I use for casting the tin when making them they go through a vulcanizing process which would destroy plastics... so I have to take my plastic original and make a pourable RTV mold first then use that to make another master model that will withstand the vulcanizing process. I saw a reverse mold making thingy on thingiverse the other day that would make some of this easier but have not yet tried it but it looks promising:)