Now, here's a 3D Printer, that I would love to have. I've worked with Metal, for much of my life and already have a nice little Wire Welder...

Don

Open-source metal 3-D printer

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Developed by Michigan Tech's Open Sustainability Technology Lab. For more see MOST's Appropedia Hub.

Wanted: Graduate students interested in making a solar-powered open-source 3-D printing and distributed manufacturing future. Contact: Professor Joshua Pearce

Open-source Lab

This page is part of an international project to use RepRap 3-D printing to make OSAT for sustainable development. Learn more.

Research: Feasibility hub • Mechanical testing • Open source 3-D printing of OSAT • RecycleBot • LCA of home recycling • LCA of distributed manufacturing • RepRap LCA Energy and CO₂ • RepRap printing protocol: MOST‎• Lessons learned • MOST RepRap Build • MOST Prusa Build • MOST HS RepRap build • RepRap Print Server

Make me: Want to build a MOST RepRap? - Start here! • Delta Build Overview:MOST • MOST metal 3-D printer

Source

Gerald C. Anzalone, Chenlong Zhang, Bas Wijnen, Paul G. Sanders and Joshua M. Pearce, “Low-Cost Open-Source 3-D Metal Printing” IEEE Access (in press). DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2013.2293018 open access preprint

Abstract

Technical progress in the open-source self replicating rapid prototyper (RepRap) community has enabled a distributed form of additive manufacturing to expand rapidly using polymer-based materials. However, the lack of an open-source metal alternative and the high capital costs and slow throughput of proprietary commercialized metal 3-D printers has severely restricted their deployment. The applications of commercialized metal 3-D printers are limited to only rapid prototyping and expensive finished products. This severely restricts the access of the technology for small and medium enterprises, the developing world and for use in laboratories. This paper reports on the development of a <$2000 open-source metal 3-D printer. The metal 3-D printer is controlled with an open-source micro-controller and is a combination of a low-cost commercial gas-metal arc welder and a derivative of the Rostock, a deltabot RepRap. The bill of materials, electrical and mechanical design schematics, and basic construction and operating procedures are provided. A preliminary technical analysis of the properties of the 3-D printer and the resultant steel products are performed. The results of printing customized functional metal parts are discussed and conclusions are drawn about the potential for the technology and the future work necessary for the mass distribution of this technology.

Bill of Materials

Item	Number	Cost(USD)	Source
All 12 Printed Parts @ $40/kg		$12.00	Local RepRap
All Fasterners		$2.00	http://www.mcmaster.com/
M3 nut	90
M3x10 mm screw	12
M3x12mm screw	48
M3x20mm screw	12
M3x8mm set screw	6
M3washer	102
M8nut	6
M8set screw	3
152mm x 152mm ceramic insulation	1	$ 4.00
Rods,bearings and ties			http://www.amazon.com/
300mm x 8mm smooth rod	6	$25.00
304.8mm carbon fiber rod	6	$6.00
608zz bearings	3	$1.20
LM8UUbearings	6	$6.00
Small wire ties	3	$0.50
Tie wire end	24	$ 8.00
600mm T5 belt	3	$ 5.90	http://www.polytechdesign.com/
241mm x 51mm x 4mm Aluminum plate	3	$114.00	Local machine shop
NEMA17 Stepper motor (1.8 deg.,5.5kg-cm holding torque, 750mm wire)	3	$39.00	http://www.kysanelectronics.com/
Mechanical limit switch	3	$3.33	http://www.digikey.com/
Melzi Microcontroller board	1	$120.00	http://matterfy.com/
Millermatic 140 Auto-set MIG Welder with Cart	1	$836.00	http://www.millerwelds.com/
Power supply	1	$8.00	(Recycled)/Internet
Wires	1	$ 2.00	(Recycled)/Internet
	Total	$1,192.93