How Strong is 3D Printed Metal?

A little while back I designed a snap close connector (STL link below) and some of you wanted to know just how strong it was. But I also wanted to find out how strong the design could be if it was 3D printed in metal. PCBWay were kind enough to provide me with aluminium (AlSi10Mg) and stainless steel (316L) 3D printing services. Using their selective laser melting (SLM) 3D printers they printed some amazing parts that I assembled into my snap clips (frog). Next, I needed to build a tensile strength testing rig to test these things - and it was going to have to be strong! So I built a 1 tonne tensile testing machine that uses a bottle jack to tension the parts. The results were a little surprising!

*Snap Close Connector:*

*Print Buster 3000 - 1 Tonne Tensile Test Rig:*

I use Epidemic Sound for music and sound effects - sign up for your 30-day trial here:

*► Socials*
Contact: email address is in the about tab

*Time Stamps*
0:00 Intro
0:22 SLM 3D Printed Parts
1:28 Building a Strength Tester
3:12 Strength Testing the Parts
7:57 Wrap Up

*Watch Next:*

3D Printed Pool Torpedoes - CO2 Propelled

Exploring Underwater with a 3D Printed Head Tracking FPV Camera Dome

3D Printed Miniature Collapsible Crate

3D Printing a Seat Belt Buckle

#3Dprinted #Metal #Strength

[zz]

It would've been great to see how a 3D-printed metal compares to the same metal, but machined.

[RikkerdHZ]

The slight difference between the stainless steel and aluminium might be because of the melting points. During 3D printing, aluminium might melt more efficiently and bond together more strongly because of its lower melting point.

[de-bodgery]

The cost difference for aluminum and SS makes the slightly lower strength of the aluminum compelling for the 3D printed versions. I think the SS would be lots stronger except that the melting point is much higher and that was probably making for poorer bonding of the metal powder. If these clips were made from actual solid aluminum or SS I think the strength would be much better. You can see the porosity of the metals...that's going to make 3D printing weaker.

[ApolloSevan]

Genuinely surprised with how much PLA could hold!

[thechumpsbeendumped.]

I’d be interested to see how the same components made from sheet Aluminium and stainless steel performed and if their failure points were the same.

[willworkforicecream]

I got a Frog for my birthday back in 1999 and drove my dad nuts fidgeting with it. I printed one out last year and it has been one of my favorite prints since. Thanks a ton.

[Kevin-jbpv]

I'm impressed that the aluminum part was able to bend a steel tube like a bendy straw.

[bjblaskowicz]

The fact no one in the comments noticed a but plug at 0:38 is truly amazing

[Fleming]

I love how this guy puts so much time making these video’s

[RsBGroups]

Thanks for the effort done for the strength test.

[Gcrowan]

It would be interesting to see weight matched comparisons. Even if it's just for the PLA, a 50g and 100g version would be cool to see in comparison to metal parts.

[Ostsol]

Was the steel heat treated in any way after printing? I've gotta wonder if tempering might have helped.

[achillesm]

looks like the laser bonding required encouragement to work on the stainless steel, like a magnesium powder or some such catalyst, it should be a lot closer to solid internally, its so strange to see such thorough internal blackening, but then I've never seen a broken stainless 3d print either!

[mrbennotmrban]

it would be even nicer if the test was made with same parts and materials with 3D printed vs CNC made, so like that we know how strong 3d print vs parts made from forged metal.

[quinnleonard]

How do you not have more subscribers? Your videos are awesome!

[geneliasmith]

That's amazing! It is something new for me about metal 3D printing.

[WXSTANG]

Larger stainless bolts, and fileting the edges will greatly increase the strength of the unit. With 3D prints there are a lot of stress risers on those sharp corners. Nice video!

[CL-ypbs]

I would love to see a machined part out of billett or such to truly test how strong 3d printed metal is versus machined metal

[theimaginariumnetwork]

The aluminum and stainless were VERY impressive, atleast to me. 🤯🤘👍

[davitothevillios]

0:38 is that a, you know what nevermind