Indirect Metal Printing

With indirect metal printing in Steel, your part is created by binding together layers of stainless powder. Specifically, after a layer of steel powder is spread across the base of a “build box”, a special print head moves back and forth over the layer, and deposits binding agent at specific points, as directed by a computer and your design file. Once the layer is finished and it has been dried via powerful overhead heaters, a new layer of powder is spread, and the process begins again. In this way, layer by layer, from the bottom up, your part is created.

Once the printing is done, the build box is placed in a curing oven and your part is sintered. The extra powder that was not bound, and is not part of your design, is then removed. At this point, your part is still very fragile. This so-called “green state” will be the base of some of the design rules and limitations that follow below. Finally, via the use of a flute system, your design is infused with bronze, which replaces the binding agent. Your part is now solid metal, and after the flutes are manually removed, it is tumbled and polished to produce a smooth finish.

With High-Detail Stainless Steel, your model is printed by binding together layers of ultrafine grains of stainless steel powder in a precision inkjet printer. Specifically, after a layer of stainless steel powder is spread across the base of a “build box”, a special printhead moves back and forth over the layer, and deposits binding agent at specific points, as directed by a computer and your design file. Once the layer is finished and it has been dried via powerful overhead heaters, a new layer of powder is spread, and the process begins again. In this way, layer by layer, from the bottom up, your part is created.

Once the printing is done, your model is carefully taken out and the extra powder that was not bound, and is not part of your design, is then removed. At this point, your part is still very fragile. This so-called “green state” will be the base of some of the design rules and limitations that are mentioned in our design guide. Your part is now sintered in an oven at 1300°C. This can either be done in sand or on a ceramic plate. The sand is most used because it’s suited for designs which are irregular and don’t have a flat base. The ceramic plate is more used for technical pieces with a flat base.

After the cool down process, the model is put into a mechanical polishing machine and shipped to you.

• Steel powder infused with bronze
• The cheapest form of metal printing
• Very strong and suitable for large objects
• Used for functional parts, spare parts, jewelry

• High-grade stainless steel (316L)
• Significant level of detail and strength
• Suitable for board game pieces, miniatures, key chains, jewelry, bolts...