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Mark Miller developed second version of his arc welder based metal 3d printer - here is the Chipfuzer V2.0.




Mark wrote:

Chipfuzer 3 D metal printer (version 2.0). This is the second prototype I made to improve the original design. It is smaller-12 inches wide, 12 inches deep and 12 3/4 inches tall. This model is fully enclosed and has safety features to keep the user safe from high voltage and harsh arc light produced on the build table.

The design also fully eliminates RFI produced by the arc process and makes a neat, tidy compact unit that can be easily transported and used anywhere.
The multicolored enclosure components are due to just having a little bit of each color paint in several cans on the shelf (low funds) and not representative of anything, or me trying to be overly "artsy".
I scaled down the X,Y and Z slide mechanisms but kept the build table the same as the first model, and the build size is nearly the same as the original. I am still tinkering with it a bit, but satisfied thus far with the new design.

This machine went together better and faster than the original, despite having to scavenger hunt parts, and make due with similar materials. In some places the unit is triple insulated, and the interior is covered in conductive coating and grounded. I think one more design and build will probably get me to a really good design for this idea, and will concentrate more on the software end of things from now on. Thus far I have made about a dozen prints with this, but plan on using this machine for most future experimenting.

First post about Chipfuzer:

http://diy3dprinting.blogspot.com/2013/11/chipfuzer-diy-3d-metal-printer-by-mark.html

Chipfuzer V 2.0 - you can see the print chamber and arc welder tips

This is important step forward for the entire field: open source sub 1500 USD metal printer. It can be mad by anyone with some experience. It is based on static MIG welder and moving invert delta 3d printer platform as build bed.

Project was developed by Michigan Tech's Open Sustainability Technology Lab: Gerald C. Anzalone, Chenlong Zhang, Bas Wijnen, Paul G. Sanders and Joshua M. Pearce. Kudos to you gentlemen!


From project abstract:

Technical progress in the open-source self replicating rapid prototyper (RepRap) community has enabled a distributed form of additive manufacturing to expand rapidly using polymer-based materials. However, the lack of an open-source metal alternative and the high capital costs and slow throughput of proprietary commercialized metal 3-D printers has severely restricted their deployment. The applications of commercialized metal 3-D printers are limited to only rapid prototyping and expensive finished products. This severely restricts the access of the technology for small and medium enterprises, the developing world and for use in laboratories. This paper reports on the development of a <$2000 open-source metal 3-D printer. The metal 3-D printer is controlled with an open-source micro-controller and is a combination of a low-cost commercial gas-metal arc welder and a derivative of the Rostock, a deltabot RepRap. The bill of materials, electrical and mechanical design schematics, and basic construction and operating procedures are provided. A preliminary technical analysis of the properties of the 3-D printer and the resultant steel products are performed. The results of printing customized functional metal parts are discussed and conclusions are drawn about the potential for the technology and the future work necessary for the mass distribution of this technology.

Project homepage with detailed build instructions:

http://www.appropedia.org/Open-source_metal_3-D_printer

Academia paper on this printer:

https://www.academia.edu/5327317/A_Low-Cost_Open-Source_Metal_3-D_Printer

If you want to learn more about MIG (metal inert gas) welding:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_metal_arc_welding

















































There is another welder based DIY metal 3d printer project with almost no documentation - The Chipfuzer:

http://diy3dprinting.blogspot.com/2013/11/chipfuzer-diy-3d-metal-printer-by-mark.html

Mini Metal Maker is small DIY 3d printer that prints objects suitable for jewelry production, watchmaking and small gears modeling,  small pistons and generally small metal parts. It uses precious metal clay that needs to be put in a high temperature kiln in order to get into metallic form. it will not make "regular" sized hard metal parts. It is more oriented towards craftsman and artisans.

From the Mini Metal Maker page:

The impact



The Mini Metal Maker is a game-changer in the world of do-it-yourself 3-D printing. It gives engineers and designers a new tool for fabricating precision parts without expensive machinery or difficult manual processes. It puts a powerful new tool in the hands of artists and craftsmen for creating customized repeatable items in metal. It is also a valuable and accessible educational tool because it is low cost and small enough to be portable.

I've always dreamed of being able to print miniature parts and detailed sculptures directly in metal. To me, the Mini Metal Maker moves 3D printing from the land of plastic toys into the real world of arts, science, and engineering. I have had so much fun creating and using the Mini Metal Maker, and believe that you will too. 

Other Ways You Can Help

Your words are precious to us. If you can not contribute, or if you simply wish to help another way, please like us on Facebook, share our website with your friends, and spread the word about the Mini Metal Maker to anyone who might be interested.

FAQ
What is the Mini Metal Maker for?
The Mini Metal Maker is for printing custom jewelry such as rings and gem settings, sculptures, specialized machine parts, ornamental hardware, metal chains, or even special hardware such as miniature turbines or pistons.

Who will use the Mini Metal Maker?
The Mini Metal Maker is for anyone interested in creating small detailed metal objects. This includes the 3D Maker community and as jewelry artisans. The Mini Metal Maker is also a valuable tool for design engineers and machinists, who require small runs of specialized hardware for creating prototypes. The Mini Metal Maker adds new capability for the DIY inventor or artist by making fabrication in metal easy and direct.

What's the print bed size?
The print bed currently allows for prints up to 2.3 inches x 2.3 inches x 2.3 inches (6 cm x 6 cm x 6 cm) in size. The movement resolution is up to 1600 steps/mm.

How does the clay become metal?
The device prints with a commercially available jewelry product known as "metal clay." This material is a pre-mixed emulsion of metal particles in a water soluble organic binder. When heated in a kiln (600˚C-900˚C) the binder burns away as the metal particles fuse together.

Where can I buy materials for the printer?

I have been purchasing various metal clay materials online from Amazon and also through e-bay. The Mini Metal Maker requires the clay to be precisely mixed to a special consistency. I will provide pre-mixed syringes of clay along with the parts and software for the MiniMetalMaker.

Can I use it with other clays, or just metal clay?
The mini metal maker will work for most water soluble clay or ceramic type materials if the consistency of the material is properly mixed. Refining this mixing process for each of the available types of clay is an important part of the research and development we are currently completing. Since the device extrudes from commercially available syringes, it is entirely possible for users to develop their own clay blends. We will make pre-mixed clays of different varieties available for sale along with the Mini Metal Maker.

How big is the printer?

Our current printer measures 16 inches (41 cm) tall, 7 inches (18 cm) wide, and 12 inches (30 cm) deep. The new prototype will be slightly deeper in order to accommodate bed motion for two heads in place of just one.

Will it work with Windows 8? How about Macintosh?
Yes, and Yes. The core computer for the Mini Metal Maker is an Arduino Duo running modified Sprinter-based open source firmware. We are developing a cross-platform work environment for loading your objects into the printer.

Do you always need a computer to print?
No. It will be able to print directly from SD cards. Our current prototype requires a connection to a computer, but we are designing the production model to print directly from a compact flash chip that is inserted into the machine.

Does it work with a USB port?

Yes it does. It just has a standard printer-type USB cord that you could pull out of the back of your normal printer and connect to this printer.

Does it cause indoor air pollution or health problems for users?
No. The Mini Metal Maker does not cause any fumes or air pollution. The clay is water based and non-toxic, as its original purpose was for sculpting by hand. Also, the entire machine operates at room temperature because it does not have to melt plastic. You will need to purchase a small *kiln, however, in order to fire the objects.

*Kilns of any sort should be located in a well ventilated area away, often in a garage or a covered outdoor work area.

Mini Metal Maker homepage, detailed build files should be available there in the future:

http://www.minimetalmaker.com/

They had very successful Indiegogo campaign, hopefully they will release the plans as planed:

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/minimetalmaker-a-small-3d-printer-that-fabricates-with-metal-clay



























Take a look at Newton 3d, printer based on same technology:

http://diy3dprinting.blogspot.com/2014/02/newton-3d-diy-metal-clay-3d-printer.html

Limited information is available on this printer, except few video showing only printing and limited photos of print results. It uses metal clay as printing material and that type of material requires high temperature kiln for finishing.
It also aims specialist makers such as jewellers, product, homeware and fashion designers.

Newton 3d homepage:

http://newton3d.com/

They have a subcategory on My Mini Factory site with some objects you could make on Newton:

http://www.myminifactory.com/search/category/96/Newton-3D-Metal-Printing































Here is a metal clay printer with similar features, the Mini Metal Maker:

http://diy3dprinting.blogspot.com/2014/02/mini-metal-maker-diy-metal-clay-3d.html

Vader is under development, now they are testing the printhead with gallium which melts at low temperatures (30 C) and then they will continue with molten aluminum (at 800 C).

Introduction to Vader:


http://diy3dprinting.blogspot.com/2013/10/vader-diy-3d-printing-with-molten.html

They also released mock-up of their Mark 1 unit:

The Mark I will be the first production machine. It will be built in very low volumes and sold to technically capable development customers who will help us improve the product,. With the lessons learned from development, the company will create the mass production successor.

Estimated Sale Price: $400,000
Estimated Release Date: Q1-Q2 2014

User Bam from Lulzbot forums experiments with 3d printing metal solder. He had some success but there are obstacles in the road. This could be interesting for electric circuits 3d printing.


He notes:

Early experiments with metal printing with a Budaschnozzle 1.1 are looking good. Repeat: early experiments (Tin 95.8%, Copper 4%, Silver 0.2%, McMaster 76805a61). If you can wait a few days before trying this out, I'll let you know if it destroys the nozzle. Fun fact: silver solder will stick to painters tape.
The flow cuts out after about 15mm of 3mm feed, we might be able to extrude continuously with a larger thermal mass around the nozzle (metalschnozzle?). Alternately we could print in short bursts through some sort of g-code trickery.

His plans for the future:

• Faster extrusion at higher nozzle temps (going to give an all metal noz a shot)
• Printing through a glass nozzle (I've got some lab grade glass eyedroppers on order that I'll try to hack into a hotend
• Smaller diameter filament (should cut down on the heat soaking up through the filament)

http://forum.lulzbot.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=380&p=1992&hilit=bam#p1992

Chipfuzer is a project by Mark Miller which uses metal chips / shavings / chips left after sawing metal plates and welds them together. It is basically computer controlled welder that welds 3d metal objects.

Video of the early Chipfuzer version

Chipfuzer DIY metal 3d printer

Chipfuzer print chamber

Some metal particles 3d objects printed / welded by Chipfuzer

Chipfuzer DIY metal 3d printer with electronics

More advanced DIY 3d printed metal part

Printed metal part mounted on functional part (linear actuator probably)

Mark writes this about his machine:

"The printed parts are metal. I am using high voltage and electrostatic depositing.....sorta.. in a bizarre looking chamber with a rotating building pedestal, a hopper with a tube of fine metal particles(from my bandsaw), and did I mention high voltage? Lots of snapping, popping, and sort of a welding sound....but its fast. The shapes are pretty simplistic to start off, and as can be seen grainy finish, but much to my surprise stable enough to sand and machine a bit.
In the very early stages, will report more later....."

I asked him about this machine and he wrote me this:

Right now still a work in progress but getting better every day. I am now designing safety features in it as it uses rather high voltage. I have been making electrode redesigns, HV power supply filtering(to eliminate RFI) and hoping to scrounge up some more electronics to make a second machine. The last few days I have been designing a 3D scanner that will scan parts to be made on/for this machine.
When the machine is ready for primetime, I have every intention of open sourcing it.

More detailed technical information about it are unavailable at the moment.
I'll keep my eye on this cool project and I hope it grows. Metal 3d printing would be great step forward for DIY community.

Mark Miller Google+ profile with more information on Chipfuzer:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/117449506018831131711


Update (5.2.2014):

Here is a new MIG welder based open source metal 3d printer:

http://diy3dprinting.blogspot.com/2014/02/open-source-diy-metal-3d-printer-made.html

Here is the Chipfuzer V 2.0 - smaller and better:

http://diy3dprinting.blogspot.com/2014/02/chipfuzer-v-20-of-arc-welder-based-diy.html