China’s Huge 3D Printers, Soon Able to Print Automobile Sized Metal Objects

[cirr]

BY ALAN GARDNER

FEBRUARY 6, 2014

One of the biggest possible economic impacts of 3D printing to the U.S. economy is the fact that it may eventually allow corporations to bring jobs back onshore from China. The United States outsources a large number of jobs over to Asia as a way to cut labor costs. 3D printing and robotics promises to change some of this, as companies can utilize industrial scale 3D printers and automation to manufacture parts for their products, cheaper than even the labor force in China can produce them. That’s if, of course China lags behind in their adoption of these technologies.

It appears, however that China is investing heavily in 3D printing, just like those in the U.S. and Europe. Their corporate and government leaders clearly can identify an emerging technology and its possible economic impact on the future of China. In fact, back in June, China announced a gigantic 3D printer, which they claimed was the world’s largest at the time, with a 1.8 m build diameter. Basically the thing could print out a nice sized bathroom vanity if you wanted it to.

This isn’t where it ends though. 1.8 meters is nothing compared to what China has done since, and plans to do within the next month or so. Southern Fan Co. (As Translated from Chinese), a company also located in China, put out a press release in November of last year, indicating their plans to develop what would turn out to be, by far the largest 3D printer yet. The printer, once complete, sometime this month, according to past releases by the company, will be able to print out metal objects approximately 6 meters, or 18 feet in diameter and 10 meters long (33 feet). The metal parts can weigh up to 300 tons. Yes, if the printer works as it’s supposed to, the company will be able to print out the entire frame of just about any four wheeled automobile on Earth.



The implications for such a development would be huge for the company, but also for China, who in the last 12 months has really made it a priority to develop their laser sintering technologies. There are already several large scale industrial 3D printers in China, including the one in the image above, in which a team at Beihang University has been able to print out several complex titanium alloy structures. This includes parts used in satellites, rockets, and nuclear power plants. These are actual parts, and not prototypes for parts. Also larger parts such as titanium alloy landing gear for jets, as well as large main force bearing frames of air crafts have been, and continue to be produce by this printer.

China’s Huge 3D Printers, Soon Able to Print Automobile Sized Metal Objects - 3DPrint.com

 

[BoQ77]

How a 3D printer work ? Explain me please !!!

 

[bolo]

How a 3D printer work ? Explain me please !!!

 

[terranMarine]

How a 3D printer work ? Explain me please !!!

press the power on button

 

[Edison Chen]

How a 3D printer work ? Explain me please !!!

It print things.

 

[bolo]

And don't forget to put in paper. If it jams, follow the instructions on the panel as it will walk you through on how to unjam the paper.

 

[retaxis]

Its a valid question on how it works. What sort of materials do you put in (special plastic/metal?), How does it turn pieces of metal or plastic into a shape?

 

[xunzi]

Its a valid question on how it works. What sort of materials do you put in (special plastic/metal?), How does it turn pieces of metal or plastic into a shape?

What do you mean how it works? Traditional printer can read 2-dimension object while 3D printer read 3-dimensional object and print them in layer each by layer until it forms a 3d shape? LOL Material use is depending on the 3d printer you use and what you want to print out of it. It can print anything from plastic to strong material like metal as long as you add the required raw material into each layer. If you want to print metal, for instance, you add metal powder and let the machine works the magic and fuses them together at high temperature. What a noob! LOL

 

[BoQ77]

Because asking guys here make no answer. I guess they don't know too.
And with some knowledge on foundary and machining shop, I found some information about 3D printers.

There're many kind of 3D printers, and they work like the casting, instruding, fabricating, bending machines, CNC machining center ... than a traditional printers. Because I have some 3D *.jt file for Siemens CNC to read and manufacture the complicated items, I basically know how it work.

But I wonder, how a 3D printer could replace traditional hammer work ? Will they need the forged materials to "cut to size" ...
powder casting cannot create the harden items as forging

 

[cirr]

3D printing will ignite major debate on ethics, regulation

Implants, Industry News, Materials, Additive Manufacturing, Design, FDA, Devices, 3D Printing

Gartner says uses of rapid development of 3d bioprinters will spark calls to ban the technology for human and nonhuman use by 2016

Manufacturing Group February 1, 2014

Stamford, Conn. - The technology of 3D bioprinting (the medical application of 3D printing to produce living tissue and organs) is advancing so quickly that it will spark a major ethical debate on its use by 2016, according to Gartner Inc. At the same time, 3D printing of non-living medical devices such as prosthetic limbs, combined with a burgeoning population and insufficient levels of healthcare in emerging markets, is likely to cause an explosion in demand for the technology by 2015.

"3D bioprinting facilities with the ability to print human organs and tissue will advance far faster than general understanding and acceptance of the ramifications of this technology," said Pete Basiliere, research director at Gartner. Already in August 2013, the Hangzhou Dianzi University in China announced it had invented the biomaterial 3D printer Regenovo, which printed a small working kidney that lasted four months. Earlier in 2013, a two-year-old child in the U.S. received a windpipe built with her own stem cells.

Basiliere added: "These initiatives are well-intentioned, but raise a number of questions that remain unanswered. What happens when complex 'enhanced' organs involving nonhuman cells are made? Who will control the ability to produce them? Who will ensure the quality of the resulting organs?"

Nevertheless, the day when 3D-bioprinted human organs are readily available is drawing closer, and will result in a complex debate involving a great many political, moral, and financial interests.

As 3D printing technology continues to mature, its ability to build customized human anatomical parts has pervasive appeal in medical device markets – especially in economically weak and war-torn regions – where it addresses high demand for prosthetic and other medical devices. In addition, increasing familiarity within the material sciences and computer-augmented design services sectors, and integration with healthcare and hospitals, will further increase demand from 2015 onwards.

"The overall success rates of 3D printing use cases in emerging regions will escalate for three main reasons: the increasing ease of access and commoditization of the technology; ROI; and because it simplifies supply chain issues with getting medical devices to these regions," Basiliere said. "Other primary drivers are a large population base with inadequate access to healthcare, in regions often marred by internal conflicts, wars or terrorism."

Outside the medical market, 3D printing will also bring about major changes and challenges. Gartner predicts that by 2018, at least seven of the world's top 10 multichannel retailers will be using 3D printing technology to generate custom stock orders, at the same time as entirely new business models are built on the technology.

"Some retailers are already selling 3D printers to consumers, and as they become more readily available, consumers could use them to manufacture their own custom-designed products," said Miriam Burt, research vice president at Gartner. "We also expect to see 3D copying services and 3D printing bureaus emerge where customers bring 3D models to a retailer or provider and have increasingly high-end parts and designs printed, not just in plastics but in materials including ceramics, stainless steel, and cobalt and titanium alloys."

The rapid emergence of this technology will also create major challenges in relation to intellectual property (IP) theft. Gartner predicts that by 2018, 3D printing will result in the loss of at least $100 billion per year in IP globally.

"The very factors that foster innovation – crowdsourcing, R&D pooling and funding of start-ups – coupled with shorter product life cycles, provide a fertile ground for intellectual property theft using 3D printers," Basiliere stated. "Already, it's possible to 3D print many items, including toys, machine and automotive parts, and even weapons."

In this environment, businesses will find it increasingly difficult to fully monetize their inventions, and licensees of related IP will be less able to achieve the maximum benefit of their licenses. IP thieves will have reduced product development and supply chain costs, enabling them to sell counterfeit goods at a discount, while unsuspecting customers are at risk of poorly performing and possibly even dangerous products.

 

[shuttler]

Probably we cannot 3D parts made of composite material, can we?

 

[My-Analogous]

Probably we cannot 3D parts made of composite material, can we?

Yes we can and it will be revolution on Chinese aviation Industies

 

[Audio]

Because asking guys here make no answer. I guess they don't know too.
And with some knowledge on foundary and machining shop, I found some information about 3D printers.

There're many kind of 3D printers, and they work like the casting, instruding, fabricating, bending machines, CNC machining center ... than a traditional printers. Because I have some 3D *.jt file for Siemens CNC to read and manufacture the complicated items, I basically know how it work.

But I wonder, how a 3D printer could replace traditional hammer work ? Will they need the forged materials to "cut to size" ...
powder casting cannot create the harden items as forging

It is best that for anything China related, you do your own research.

 

[Gazprom]

interesting

 

[BoQ77]

Vietnam cannot even copy, let alone invent anything on its own. Thats why Vietnam has to buy entire pieces of military hardware from Russia and cannot make a damn thing.

Yeah we less-developed country. So what you expect we could produce ?
No, we just try to grow our rice, feed our castles, catching the fishes ... for living ...

And you now threaten our fish field. Why the most advanced country cannot make yourself artificial fishes or oil ? ( by 3D printer or something )
But keep robbing it from less-developed countries