Background
Metal additive manufacturing (AM), which is also known as metal 3D printing, has recently been used to fabricate geometrically intricate and unique metal and metal alloy objects. This process can create objects with feature sizes ranging from macro- to nano-scale structures when compared to traditional manufacturing processes. The design flexibility and material selection provided by metal AM enables the fabrication of low-cost, high resolution metal components with excellent physical properties for use in automotive, aerospace, and biomedical applications.
Inorganic metal salts as a metal precursor additive have shown promising rheological properties and steric stability when combined with low viscosity acrylic-based resins for metal AM technologies. Metal salts are predominantly low-cost and can be incorporated into photocurable slurries, with excellent refractive indices, high solid content, and particle dispersion. However, current metal AM technologies are layer-based approaches that produce reduced surface quality at micro-scales and non-homogeneous physical properties from weak interface adhesion between adjacent layers.
Invention Description
Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a novel low-cost and layer-less metal AM process to rapidly fabricate high resolution 3D metallic structures. This process enables the creation of structures with homogeneous, isotropic physical properties and smooth surface finish. This process uses metal mask video projection-based vat photopolymerization (MMVP-VPP), which circumvents material and printing speed limitations of current metal AM technologies by integrating a low viscosity metal salt precursor resin and high frame rate video that uniformly deposits and crosslinks new material in the projection area. This promotes the continuous fabrication of 3D metallic objects. This process contributes to greater sustainability by providing the ability to collect and repurpose the water used in heat treatment of inorganic salts, and failed parts can be recycled using acid etching and filtration techniques.
Potential Applications:
- Customized metal components
- Prototyping solutions
- Jewelry & accessories
- Consumer electronics
- Medical implants & devices
- Automotive components
Benefits and Advantages:
- Lower cost and layer-less
- Faster printing speed
- Homogeneous properties & smooth surfaces of printed objects
- Sustainable
Related Publication: Continuous 3D printing of metal structures using ultrafast mask video projection initiated vat photopolymerization