3D printing has grown significantly in recent years. While it was initially limited to plastic, it is now able to use other materials in the manufacturing and design process. This is particularly true of metal. Metal 3D printing has grown very rapidly and its applications are endless. So how does it work? Let’s find out right now.

Metal 3D printing was imagined in the 1970s. The technology is based on a relatively simple principle, just like 3D printing. An energy source fuses with a metal powder to create metal parts layer by layer. Metal 3D printers are based on digital 3D manufacturing. This explains why 3D printing is also known as additive manufacturing. Metal 3D printing allows the creation of parts from metal powder with geometric complexity that is impossible to achieve with subtractive technologies. Its cost is relatively low compared to traditional manufacturing techniques such as machining or vacuum casting.

Metal 3D printing is based on different materials such as aluminium, steel, titanium, steel, bronze and precious metals like silver, brass and gold. They are usually used in metal 3D printers in powder form. Metal 3D printing is popular in many sectors such as automotive, aerospace and medical. It has become very accessible with the wide range of metal 3D printers on the market. These are based on different metal 3D printing technologies.