We had a chat with the folks from The Virtual Foundry and learned about their latest metal and ceramic 3D printer filaments.
Metal and ceramic filaments, you ask? Yes, it is entirely possible to 3D print fully metal and ceramic objects using standard desktop FFF 3D printers. You need only use the special filaments, and, oh yes, you will need a sintering oven.
Here’s how it works:
- The filaments are a mix of a polymer binder and a powder, typically 80% metal (or ceramic).
- The FFF 3D printer must have a hardened nozzle, usually a bit wider than the stock 0.4mm nozzles on most machines.
- 3D printing proceeds in the usual manner, producing an object that’s mostly metal (or ceramic) and partially made from polymer.
- The finished print is placed in a programmable sintering oven.
- The first stage gradually raises the temperature to a point where the polymer evaporates.
- The second stage raises the temperature much higher, sintering the remaining metal parts together.
- The resulting fully metal 3D printed part is slightly smaller than the original print (~20%), but you simply resize it bigger to get the desired size at the end.
While these objects appear to be common FFF 3D prints, they are actually made from metal (or ceramic). If you pick them up you will immediately notice they are surprisingly heavy.
Currently, The Virtual Foundry offers 16 different metal materials, ranging from copper to tool steel to borosilicate and even “moon dust” basalt.
We were told they recently added porcelain, as their previous source for clay material was discontinued. After a survey of their customers, they decided on porcelain as it was easier to print and post-process. This was tested last year and found to be useful, so it was added permanently to their product line.
They also added an unusual new material in January, Boron Carbide. This is a super-hard ceramic material often used in military applications. It’s apparently one of the hardest known materials on the planet.
While you might not be printing tank parts with this filament, you could instead use it for shielding. It turns out that boron carbide is able to absorb neutrons. This makes it ideal for nuclear applications, including medical device shielding. It can also be used to shield containers for radioactive materials.
What’s next for The Virtual Foundry? They told us they would be exploring more low-temperature material options, which could make 3D printing of metal objects even easier.
Finally, our lab has obtained a programmable sintering furnace and we now have the capability to try out this unusual 3D printing process. Stay tuned, as we’ll have a hands-on review in the near future.
