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IPFS News Link • 3D Printing

Metal Casting with Your 3D Printer

• http://makezine.com, By Matt Stultz

Although the big boys in the industrial world can directly 3D print metal parts with laser sintering machines, this technology hasn't yet reached consumers. However, you can make your own metal parts at home with the help of your 3D printer and these easy-to-learn metal casting techniques.

California artist Cosmo Wenman posted a tutorial on how to cast bismuth alloy parts directly into 3D-printed ABS molds (thingiverse.com/thing:26500).

Bismuth alloys (makezine.com/go/bismuth) have a lower melting point than bismuth alone (~212°F versus 520.6°F). This low melting point means a hollow mold can be printed in ABS and it won't melt or deform when the molten metal is poured into it. After the metal has cooled, the mold can be split away or, for more complex objects, immersed in acetone to dissolve or soften the ABS so it can be easily removed, leaving behind only the final cast metal piece.


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