HP launches their Metal Jet 3D printer to transform the manufacturing sector

There are plenty of people who consider 3D printing a fad, especially in a world that is filled with metal, glass and a variety of hybrid materials. The promise of printing revolutionising the home has not panned out yet, with printers remaining rare outside of hobbyist communities in educational facilities. 

In industry 3D printing has already transformed the lives of engineers, facilitating rapid prototyping and the construction of complex 3D components within hours, saving a lot of time and money in the process.

3D Printing technology is not limited to just plastics and ceramics, with 3D printed metallic components being of great interest to engineers and manufacturers across the world. 

At the 2018 International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), HP has officially launched their “HP Metal Jet” 3Dprinter, which is designed to create production-grade metallic parts in high volumes.   

The idea is simple, melt a metallic powder and use it to print a complex 3D component in a faster time and lower cost than traditional manufacturing techniques. While this sounds a lot like a plastic 3D printer, the complexity comes when considering the properties of metallic materials, such as their high melting point and the varying properties of metallic objects which depend on how a component is manufactured. 

HP claims that their Metal Jet system can be up to 50 times more productive than competing systems, and offer significantly lower manufacturing costs than other 3D printing methods. Right now, HP’s Metal Jet is being deployed with Parmatech, who boasts companies such as Volkswagen and Wilo amongst their clientele.  HP has also partnered with GKN Powder Metallurgy, a producer of high-quality atomised metallic powders, a vital material for 3D printing metallic objects. Volkswagen is already integrating this technology into their long-term production roadmap. 
   

HP hopes to revolutionise the $12 Trillion manufacturing industry by allowing 3D printed metallic parts to be manufactured quickly and with a lower production cost. Some parts will require the structural properties offered by traditional manufacturing methods, such as CNC milling, conventional machining and forging, which means that the 3D printing will not cause the end of traditional metalworking jobs and manufacturing techniques.