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sounds_sound  ·  3236 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: 3D Metal Printing In Midair

I just started working with a Makerbot Gen5 Replicator a few weeks ago, which prints with plastic. One of the primary limitations is that the extruder heats up the plastic to print which makes the material soft when it first comes out. This means that undercut objects and cantilevered pieces are more difficult to make right because the material will slump as it leaves the nozzle. What's nice about welding metal like in the video is that the material is instantly strong as soon as it gets made. Much more flexibility that way in terms of what can be created in a single 'print'.