Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: ArrogantBustard

With that composite one could make a firearm.

I’ve heard of those printers but had no idea they’d progressed so far. Thank you for the explanation!


37 posted on 08/24/2012 11:08:52 AM PDT by Lady Jag (If you can't make them see the light, let them feel the heat. - Reagan)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies ]


To: Lady Jag
Keep in mind that for all the wonders of the printer material, it's still thermoplastic.

Heat it, it will soften and warp. It's not terribly resistant to abrasion. Its tensile strength is nowhere near that of aluminum, much less steel.

A printed plastic AR lower, with judicious use of metal inserts on bearing surfaces, might have a useful service life. An upper would likely fail after a few dozen rounds (if that). A barrel or bolt would be destroyed by the first shot.

I hope somebody is working on a printer that uses metal powder instead of plastic ... print it then sinter it. That process might make truly useful parts for high stress machines like firearms.

43 posted on 08/24/2012 12:15:43 PM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson