Solid Concepts, a 3D Printing services company, has manufactured the world’s first 3D Printed Metal Gun using a laser sintering process and powdered metals. The gun, a 1911 classic design, has already handled 50 rounds of successful firing. It is composed of 33 17-4 Stainless Steel and Inconel 625 components, and decked with a Selective Laser Sintered (SLS) carbon-fiber filled nylon hand grip. |
The 1911 is fully 3D printed, but it must still be assembled after the printing process, as Solid Concepts explains that it isn’t possible to print a fully-assembled gun. |
Eric Mutchler, project engineer at Solid Concepts, says, ““The frame weighs a bit more than a modern one that is made out of aluminum this one being stainless steel (so it naturally weighs a bit more) but if weights not a concern there are no known disadvantages as of now; to fully determine this we plan on putting a higher round count through it, being that we’re still at 50 rounds. It outperformed for accuracy a standard production model 1911 during our testing.” |
Filed Under: Rapid prototyping