MIT researchers have developed and released a new technology, "liquid metal printing" (LMP), that is at least 10 times faster than existing metal additive manufacturing processes, sacrificing fine detail but avoiding the warpage and cracking that traditional metal printing methods** show.
First, the team built an electric furnace the size of a loaf of bread, heated aluminum above the melting point, and then stored the liquid metal in a graphite crucible of the machine, which was then ejected from a ceramic nozzle by gravity. The molten metal is then extruded onto a sandy surface made of 100 micron glass beads, which are then shaped to the user's desired shape, and as the beads absorb the heat, the metal hardens and solidifies to form a 3D structure that does not need to be supported.
Zain Karsan, a PhD student at ETH Zurich, said that molten aluminum destroys the path of 3D printing, using stainless steel nozzles at first, then titanium nozzles, and finally ceramic nozzles, but even ceramic nozzles can clog because the heating will not always be completely uniform.
Throughout the process, the temperature controller maintains a consistency of 700 degrees Celsius, and the molten aluminium is quickly cooled to form when the print is complete. After the necessary milling and drilling, it is ready to assemble and use.
The research was conducted by an MIT team with Skylar Tibbits, co-director of the MIT Self-Assembly Lab and associate professor of architecture, and Zain Karsan, a PhD student at ETH Zurich, with funding from automotive parts manufacturer Aisin Group, AMADA Global, and American furniture company EMECO.
Since aluminum can be reused multiple times and prototypes can be made, the LMP process can also print different thicknesses to provide enough durability, but unfortunately the resulting aluminum frame is not detailed enough, but it is quite practical.
According to the study**, this method is mainly used in the construction industry, and can also be applied to the aerospace and automotive industries if it is well developed. In addition, the production process does not waste too much aluminum material, and ** or scrap metal can also be used.
Compared to existing methods, the LMP process allows the metal to be molten throughout the printing process, so it is less prone to cracking and deformation. At present, the research team plans to continue to adjust the process to improve flow control and make the nozzle temperature more stable to prevent clogging.
Header image**: mit).