3D Metal Printing

The Pros and Cons

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"Vader 3D Metal Printer" by Inhabitat is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

“Vader 3D Metal Printer” by Inhabitat is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

By: Zakaria Najmeddine, Journalist

3D printing isn’t limited to just making plastic prototypes. 3D printers can also create metal space ships with just a metal 3D printer. 3D printing is when a machine (a 3D printer) produces objects layer by layer through melting and welding metals. There are plenty of advantages to metal 3D printing, but at the same time, there are multiple disadvantages.

Advantages of 3D printing include: 3D printers can create complicated details that take longer with other machines. This can help manufacturers finish their work faster than usual. The cost of manufacturing through 3d printing compared to the cost of ordinary and traditional manufacturing. You can also create assembly parts in detail which can save time and money. To sum it up, 3D printing is favored for producing complex designs.

Disadvantages of 3D printing include: The speed of printing is relatively slow for items. 3D printers are rather expensive. They range from a thousand dollars to over a hundred thousand dollars. Some labor might be required such as sanding surfaces or having to post-process. It’s nearly impossible to create large objects unless you have a relatively large 3D printer.

Overall, 3D printers are useful if you want to make small assembly parts and build an object. Even though it may be expensive, it is still convenient when trying to save money and time.

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