Metal 3D Printing

Ti Gr.23. Inconel 718.
316L. CoCr.
Complex geometry.

Metal 3D printing via DMLS/SLM for complex geometry impossible to machine. Titanium Ti Gr.23 (medical), Inconel 718 (aerospace hot section), 316L stainless, AlSi10Mg aluminum, CoCr (medical). Post-machined critical features for tight tolerance.

Metal 3D Print Quote CNC vs 3D printing

Ti / Inconel / SS Complex internal Post-machined Aerospace qualified

01 · Metal materials

Metal 3D printing materials.

Metal 3D printing uses powder-bed fusion of metal powders. Material choice drives cost, properties, and lead time. Common aerospace and medical materials available.

Ti-6Al-4V Gr.23

Medical · aerospace

ELI titanium for medical implants and aerospace. Full heat treatment available for T6 temper.

Ti-6Al-4V Gr.5

Aerospace · racing

Standard titanium alloy. Aerospace brackets, racing components, industrial applications.

Inconel 718

Hot section · aerospace

Nickel superalloy for jet engine hot section, rocket components. Up to 650 °C service.

Inconel 625

Corrosion + temp

Corrosion + high-temperature. Marine hot section, chemical processing, oil & gas sour service.

316L Stainless

Medical · marine

General corrosion-resistant stainless. Medical devices, marine, chemical processing.

17-4 PH SS

High strength

Precipitation-hardenable stainless. High-strength + corrosion resistance. Aerospace structural.

AlSi10Mg

Aluminum cast-equivalent

Aluminum alloy similar to A356 casting alloy. Lightweight automotive, aerospace brackets.

CoCr

Medical dental

Cobalt-chromium for dental crowns, joint replacement, implantable hardware.

02 · Metal 3D applications

Where metal 3D printing wins.

Complex aerospace brackets

Topology-optimized aerospace brackets — 30-50% weight reduction vs CNC equivalents

Conformal cooling inserts

Injection mold inserts with conformal cooling channels impossible to drill or mill

Medical implants

Custom patient-specific implants — cranial, spine, orthopedic

Turbine blades

Jet engine turbine blades with internal cooling channels

Rocket engine parts

SpaceX-class rocket engine injectors, combustion chamber inserts

Dental implants

Patient-specific dental implants and surgical guides

Fluid manifolds

Complex internal fluid routing impossible to machine

Heat exchangers

Compact heat exchangers with non-standard flow geometry

Bionic structures

Biomimetic lattice structures for medical and aerospace

FAQ

Metal 3D Print questions.

Metal 3D printing is expensive. Small Ti bracket: $500-2,000 per part. Medium part: $2,000-10,000. Large aerospace bracket: $10,000+. Compared to CNC equivalent: 3-10× cost. Justify when: (1) geometry impossible to machine (internal channels, lattices), (2) topology-optimized design enables weight savings that justify cost, (3) very low quantity of very complex parts. For most applications, CNC is more cost-effective.

DMLS/SLM: ±0.1-0.3 mm typical, depends on part size and thermal conditions. Better on small parts, worse on large. For tight tolerance features (bearing fits, mating surfaces), post-machining required. Standard workflow: 3D print → heat treat → HIP (if required) → post-machine critical features. This combines 3D printing's geometry freedom with CNC's precision.

As-printed metal parts have internal stress and porosity (0.5-2%). Stress relief heat treatment after printing: reduces residual stress. Full heat treatment (solution + aging): achieves full material properties. HIP (Hot Isostatic Pressing): eliminates porosity for aerospace/medical certification. Typical aerospace workflow: print → stress relief → HIP → solution + age → post-machine. Each step adds 5-10 days to lead time.

Metal 3D printed aerospace parts require qualification: AMS 7003 for material, specific customer qualification for each part. Qualification involves: mechanical testing of coupons from each build, NDE (non-destructive evaluation) of parts, chemistry verification, fatigue testing. Qualification establishes process capability. Post-qualification, individual parts tested per customer spec.

DMLS build envelopes vary by machine: 250 × 250 × 300 mm typical for our capability. Large parts split into sub-components with welding/brazing. Multiple small parts nested in single build for cost efficiency. Typical build cycle 12-48 hours depending on part height and complexity. Post-print processing (powder removal, support removal, heat treatment, machining) adds several days.

As-printed: Ra 6-12 µm with stair-step from layer lines. Post-processing options: bead blast (uniform matte Ra 3-6 µm), chemical milling (smoother), tumbling (general), machining (CNC finish Ra 0.8 µm on critical surfaces). For aerospace parts, CNC post-machining of mating surfaces standard — ensures dimensional accuracy and required finish.