Six months have passed since the presentation of the plastic "World's First Fully 3D Printed Firearm". And so engineers from Texas-based Solid Concepts printed a metal pistol for the first time in the world. They did this to demonstrate the possibilities of modern industrial 3D printing and do not at all aim to make the technology available in every home. However, sooner or later this will inevitably happen.
For the demonstration, the iconic M1911 pistol, designed by John Browning, was made. This is the first self-loading pistol to be used by the US Army, before that they only had revolvers.
Pictured: A working replica of the M1911 self-loading pistol designed by John Browning. The pistol was in service with the US Army from 1911 to 1985.
The gun parts are manufactured using direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), the same method that NASA uses to print rocket engine parts. Only the springs were made separately. After printing, the parts were polished and hand-fitted to each other.
During the tests, the pistol proved to be highly accurate.
Company representatives say they printed the pistol not to make the process cheaper and more accessible to everyone, but simply to demonstrate the reliability of the parts manufactured using the DMLS method. Metal printing equipment can't be bought for less than $ 10,000, which most 3D printing enthusiasts can't afford. The company itself Solid Concepts used an even more expensive industrial printer, see video.
Solid Concepts is licensed to manufacture weapons and promises to produce and ship a set of 3D parts for assembling the pistol within five days. Naturally, only a US citizen with the appropriate permission can make a purchase.
▶ ▶ ▶ 3D Printed Metal Gun Test Fire (Screenshots taken from both videos)
“Our pantal weapons expert fired 50 rounds and hit several silhouettes over 30 meters away. The weapon consists of over 30 imprinted 17-4 stainless steel and 625 Inconel components. Completing it is a selective laser sintered (SLS) 3D printing handle."
“The whole concept of using the laser sintering process to 3D print metal weapons revolves around evidence of reliability, accuracy, usability in printing metal functional prototypes and end-use products,” says Kent Firestone. "There is a common misconception that laser sintering is not precise or strong enough, and we are working to change the technological perspectives for humanity."
Another common misconception about 3D printing is that it is limited to desktop printers, which can only squeeze out filament.
To debunk all the myths and misconceptions surrounding 3D printing, engineers have built an unmistakable technology demonstrator. Executives will no longer be able to pretend and downplay the prospects of this industry.
Laser sintering is one of the most accurate manufacturing processes available, more than enough to create interchangeable, tight tolerances, interacting gun parts. Printed metal is superior to precision casting in terms of porosity and machining accuracy.
The rifling of the weapon was built, or "grown", clean, without undergoing further machining. Hand tools are used only in decoration, without affecting the mechanism obtained exclusively through printing.
