First working 3D-printed firearm built

http://www.gizmag.com/first-3d-printed-firearm/23473/

That is some crazy space age stuff.

Just wait until the guvt wakes up and notices it. It'll make em tax the hell out of 3d printers and pass laws so that they'll have to be informed about whatever is printed, mostly so they can tax it. We're goin down a path that doesn't lead anywhere good.

Interesting. The company I work for owns 3D Printing Solutions http://3d-printingsolutions.com/content.asp?node=6&lang=en & they have printed some really amazing models of subsea well control equipment that we use for our gaining classes. Pretty crazy stuff, they print complete working models in a single pass by layering up .003 of material at a time, so when the printing is done, they just blow out the dust that was not activated by the part b of the epoxy & everything moves. I was talking to the engineer who runs our printers about guns & he said it is not really feasible because right now they do not have any available material that can be used in the particulate additive process that is used by 3d printers that develops a high enough bonding strength between the particles that it does not retain a certain amount of brittleness. Don't know if that has changed, of it this guy is just pushing the envelope a bit. I do know that even the ABS printed models we use will shatter into pieces if dropped just right, because we have had it happen.

SteveC: We need your guys to contact the guys on my post. Then YOU could be your companies Gun Guru!!!

Are the current consumable materials used in the process expensive?

Not really expensive & there is basically no waste. The printers are set up with a moveable bed. A squeegee arm spreads out .003 inch of the powder (which is coated with part A of the epoxy) & then the print head prints that layer using part B of the epoxy. Immediately after, another layer of powder is layered on top so they layers bond together. This continues .003 at a time until the piece is completed & they they just pull the item out of the powder & it gets blown off with compressed air inside the machine & a vacuum unit recycles all the excess powder back into the bin for reuse. On the machines that are set up to use the hard plastics, they use UV-cured polymers, so the layer is printed & then exposed to UV light to cure the plastic between each layer. Pretty cool. Since it is an additive process, the guys have printed some items (e.g. multiple lace balls inside of balls & complex gear trains that are printed as a single piece) that there would be no possible way to machine from a single piece of stock. Something like an AR receiver probable has 10-15 dollars worth of material in it, plus the time it would take to print.

I like your idea. Will have to talk to my boss when I'm in Houston next week. He's not much of a gun guy though.

I have a guy who has been making assorted parts for awhile, right now he is making trigger guards and vise blocks. very cool stuff. http://defcad.org/

Any of the traditional composite parts are a breeze & the software is free. Our engineers agreed with the guy in the video regarding the technology of the material not quite being there yet as far as the receiver & any parts exposed to repetitive stresses from the firing pressures. He did say that he felt this was probably only because it has not been something anyone was seriously R&Ding before this point though. Business analysts are saying that 3d printing is at the precipice & when it breaks over the top it will revolutionize many of the industries to allow things never before felt to be possible.

In the future every manufacturer of any product ever made is going to have to worry about the same thing. This is because the age of 3-D printing is upon us. Folks that own the rights to CADCAM 3-D drawings, schematics, and blueprints will be able to send their designs, and have people use their in-house, or in-home 3-D printer to make the product right there on the property.

3D Printed Liberator Tested by News Org. Blows up like most of them do according to the vid.

I though this had a barrel liner?

https://www.wfaa.com/video/news/what-happened-to-a-3d-printed-gun-at-the-range/287-8215805