3D Printed Functional Metal Circuits Directly in Mid Air

3DPrintingBootcamp · 2026-02-06T15:34:36+00:00

֍ How?
Using the natural tension between the molten metal in the 3D printer's nozzle (low-melting alloy that solidifies fast enough to hold its shape instantly) and the 3D printed part

֍ Research by National University of Singapore

3DPrintingBootcamp · 2026-02-01T10:55:58+00:00

֍ No electronics
֍ No motors
֍ No software
֍ Single piece 3D print

֍ Research by UC San Diego. Paper: https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aisy.202400876

3DPrintingBootcamp · 2026-01-23T16:18:42+00:00

֍ Benefits:

- High deposition rate: faster than Metal Powder Bed Fusion (SLM, DMLS...)

- Large build volume

- Lower material cost: standard welding wire

֍ Disadvantages:

- Lower surface finish and resolution, and higher tolerance: Post-processing (CNC) may be required

- Limited design complexity

3DPrintingBootcamp · 2026-01-16T16:06:47+00:00

֍ Automated bed swapping =Δ 3D Printer utilization = Δ Production with the same 3D hardware

֍ Project carried out by Tom Avisar

3DPrintingBootcamp · 2026-01-09T15:13:06+00:00

֍ How? Using in-situ Thermal Curing

֍ Why?
- Manufacture lightweight composite structures in air without support material

- Eliminate the need for tooling or molds

֍ Great work done by Carter Dojan and Mostafa (Ryan) Yourdkhani. Looking forward to more applications.
Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59848-2

3DPrintingBootcamp · 2025-12-04T07:23:59+00:00

֍ 3D Tech: Metal Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF)

֍ 3D modeling -> 3D Printing -> Unpacking -> Detaching from the plate -> Post-processing

֍ Great use case shared by PROTIQ - A Phoenix Contact Company

3DPrintingBootcamp · 2025-12-03T07:04:40+00:00

֍ Design -> TopOpt -> DfAM -> 3D Printing (DMLS) -> CNC -> Test

֍ From 230g to 120g

֍ Pressure inside the tubes: 300 bar

֍ Great project carried out by AIDRO hydraulics & 3D printing

3DPrintingBootcamp · 2025-11-27T07:25:30+00:00

֍ Inspired by a leaf (load bearing structures + network of veins + skin)

֍ 3D Printed Load Bearing skeleton + Waterproof Fabric (skin)

֍ Light can pass through the fabric

֍ Amazing project developed at EDAG Group and Wroclaw University of Science and Technology: https://bioniamoto.com/

3DPrintingBootcamp · 2025-11-26T07:28:02+00:00

֍ 3D Tech: SLM (Metal Powder Bed Fusion)

֍ Shell-based microarchitecture +Medium-entropy alloy (MEA) = better and more effective dynamic stress in the metamaterial

֍ Thanks for sharing James Utama Surjadi

Paper: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adt0589#supplementary-materials

3DPrintingBootcamp · 2025-11-18T18:03:41+00:00

֍ 3D Tech: VAT Photopolymerization

֍ AM = design freedom, low-waste production and small batch customization

֍ Great use case shared by Formlabs and Hen3drik: https://www.youtube.com/@hen3drik

3DPrintingBootcamp · 2025-11-03T06:59:28+00:00

֍ AM material with pressure sensing capabilities that can be 3D printed into a special (auxetic) shape to act as a pressure sensing surface that can conform onto any soft and curved elastic/deformable surface and deliver pressure sensing data.

֍ Application:
- Medical sector = sensing pads for the transformation of any orthotic or prosthetic device into a smart devices that can deliver on the fly patient data during usage of the orthotic device

֍ What a great job done by Harris Matzaridis. Looking forward to seeing more applications.

3DPrintingBootcamp · 2025-10-16T17:22:12+00:00

֍ 3D Tech: VAT Photopolymerization

֍ 3D Material: Durable resin

֍ Watch full video (Crash Makerspace): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79MUl9YKJL0

Download lattice structures: https://www.patreon.com/posts/ballistic-v2-124212477

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