3D printing with metals

Abstract

Rapid Prototyping is a recently developed technique that ‘prints’ a component, instead of manufacturing it in traditional terms, by using materials ranging from photopolymers to thermoplastics, including paper. Since these materials are in most cases not suitable for assessement purposes a new approach has been created. It has similar ‘build up’ technique but uses metal as raw material. The process entails the use of a gas metal arc fusion welding robot which deposits successive layers of metal in such a way that it forms a 3D solid component. This process can also be considered a manufacturing process for low volume production.