The problem wasn't the 3D printing method, it was the material.
The potential for lighter weight, more efficient rocket engines and auto parts through 3D printing aluminum has always been there. The problem was trying to 3D print with traditional alloys that tended to crack. Additive-specific aluminums are surfacing from a range of material providers and the latest, DuAlumin-3D, retains its microstructural stability up to 400ºC — the highest of any known aluminum alloy. Scientists are now looking at specific automotive applications for this 3D printed aluminum.
Carolyn is All3DP’s senior editor and a journalist with 25+ years covering business and technology. Passionate about making tech accessible, her work also appears on Forbes.com.
