Low cost metal 3D printing! Electrochemical additive manufacturing

3D printing is a process which allows for the creation of complex objects not possible with traditional manufacturing techniques. Most 3D printing techniques are based on plastics however metal additive manufacturing has been growing in popularity due to the high strength components they make. Selective laser melting is the most common form of metal 3D printing, however this is extremely expensive due to the lasers, inert gases and other supporting systems. Here we show how a low cost desktop metal 3D printer can be made through an electrochemical additive manufacturing process. This leverages off the decades worth of development in the electrodeposition process but localises this into a movable print head. We demonstrate that this approach can also be multi-material, allowing for the creation of bi-metallic structures with thermally responsible characteristics. 00:00 Introduction 00:24 What is 3D printing? 01:26 The different types of 3D printing 03:23 Selective laser melting for met