The future for high quality components seems to be in metal 3D printing

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Most everyone in the 3D printing industry is well aware that the future for high quality components seems to be in metal 3D printing. With that in mind, researchers have been steadily refining the process, and now a team at Northwestern University has come up with a process that even allows the use of inexpensive rust powder, which is more lightweight, offers greater stability, and is safer and more affordable in comparison to other iron powders. 

Findings regarding this new process were recently discussed in a paper, ‘Metallic Architectures from 3D-Printed Powder-Based Liquid Inks,’ by Adam E. Jakus, Shannon L. Taylor, Nicholas R. Geisendorfer, David C. Dunand, and Ramille N. Shah, just published in Advanced Functional Materials. These researchers have discovered a way to create new and complex metallic architectures via 3D printing with a new class of inks that will extend to a range of metals and mixtures, alloys, oxides, and compounds.

Source: 3dprint.com