Posted on 11/30/2013 11:24:50 AM PST by marktwain
“WeaponsMan,” we can hear you thinking. “Dey already done dat.” Well, not exactly. Sure, they printed a gun before, but this time they did something pretty amazing: they printed all 34 non-spring parts in a single go (see the photo of the parts below, fresh from the laser-sintering machine with only the unused powder removed yet). And they printed it of Inconel 625, which you’ve probably never used in a gun before (but if you’ve ever flown in a jet airplane, it was probably the turbofan engine’s hot-section shaft and several other critical parts.
Inconel is fairly expensive and is normally not used in firearms for three reasons: (1) cost, (2) lack of necessity (steel, aluminum, and stainless steel have gotten the job done for the last century), and, (3) until now, it’s been fairly difficult to work with.
Indeed, one of the greatest applications for Direct Metal Laser Sintering (and SLS and other metal-sintering additive manufacturing processes) is to make things out of those materials that break or wear down subtractive-manufacturing tools, or need exotic tool bits or inserts. That includes Inconel and Titanium alloys, of course, but we also hear rumors that sintering Tungsten is possible. How recursively self-referential does it get? Imagine 3D printing the tools you need to do final milling on 3D printed parts… that tomorrow could be today very soon.
Our second iteration is composed entirely of Inconel 625, a material that is stronger than Stainless Steel (and a bit heavier) save for the springs which were not 3D Printed. The gun is once again composed of thirty-four 3D Printed components. Our second gun will be stress relieved and post processing will be by hand once again.
This is an important note, that last sentence above. The parts don’t come out of the DMLS machine ready to be snapped together — not parts for a precision machine like a firearm. But they go on to note that they’re learning as they go:
That’s the first 3d gun that I want .
Note that even with all of this technology, the art of making springs has not been mastered.
I wonder if tempering the raw printed part would work?
Knowledge is power.
The idiots will want to ban springs now.
I’ve made springs out of spring tempered Inconel wire before. Royal pain in the a**. Doesn’t want to grind, have to stress relief at 1200 degs. for 4 hours.
I was curious to the matter of the raw material being suitable to tempering.
Thanks for that input.
When springs are outlawed, only outlaws will have springs.
Inconel is some tough stuff. X-rayed lots of large pressure vessels made out of it in Houston fab shops back in the 70s and 80s. Only a few welders knew how to handle it and they were getting rich.
Psst.... got any springs?
Machinists don't like it either. Wear downs the dies fast.
I have no idea, only worked with spring tempered wire. Have to run, 12 hour shift tonight.
Gotta dollar in your wallet?
Got your wallet in your pocket?
Tell ya what I’m gonna do.
This is what they are actually doing.
Powder metallurgy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powder_metallurgy
Hmm...so how much would that little jobber cost? I think I can find a spring or two...
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