GE Plans World's Largest Laser-Powered 3D Printer

[ucfengr]

This is awesome.

pcmag.com/news/354495/ge-plans-worlds-largest-laser-powered-3d-printer

General Electric is poised to start churning out the world’s largest laser-powered 3D printer that makes parts out of metal powder, delivering examples to factories next year so that they can get started making airplane parts and products for the automotive, power, and oil and gas industries.

The prototype Atlas printer, announced on Wednesday, can print objects up to one meter long using titanium, aluminum, and other metals instead of the plastics, resins, and filaments that many commercial and consumer 3D printers use. That means it could print an entire engine block for a car or truck, for example, replacing the specialized machines and tooling that are currently required to make those types of products in a factory.

GE said it plans to unveil the Atlas in November. The prototype can only print objects up to one meter in two directions, such as length and width, but once the production version is ready next year, it will be able to print objects up to one meter in any direction.

Imagine being able to make engine blocks out of titanium instead of steel. Just as strong but half the weight. How long before they can make an entire chassis out of titanium? This is huge for people worried about climate change. Shaving 25-30% off the weight of vehicles would be a huge improvement to fuel efficiency. Titanium is the 9th most abundant metal on earth.

 

[Joe_5859]

This is awesome.

pcmag.com/news/354495/ge-plans-worlds-largest-laser-powered-3d-printer

Imagine being able to make engine blocks out of titanium instead of steel. Just as strong but half the weight. How long before they can make an entire chassis out of titanium? This is huge for people worried about climate change. Shaving 25-30% off the weight of vehicles would be a huge improvement to fuel efficiency. Titanium is the 9th most abundant metal on earth.

I’m calling it. Future generations will say that the most significant invention of the 21st century will be the 3D printer.