More Cost-Effective 3D Printed Steel Without “Heating and Beating”

Even as metal 3D printing grows in popularity, especially as a way to create complex metal shapes, there are still obstacles to overcome. One significant one, can be the high production costs, for example due to the need for significant post-processing to improve the properties of the end part. Thankfully, researchers at the University of Cambridge may have found a solution. They have created a new metal 3D printing process, tested on steel, that they believe is even superior to heating and beating.

As its name suggest, heating and beating refers to the process wherein material is hardened with a hammer and then softened by fire. Think of traditional blacksmiths, as you may have seen in historical reenactments, who used the process often including for creating parts such as swords or horseshoes. However, it has its own downsides, notably it is less efficient than processes like metal 3D printing and not well-suited for particularly intricate parts.

A conceptual illustration from the research team to show how these processing strategies could be used in laser powder bed fusion

Still, there is a reason why these traditional processes have endured for so long. The lead on this project, Dr. Matteo Seita from Cambridge’s Department of Engineering, notes, “The reason why heating and beating is so effective is because it changes the internal structure of the material, allowing control over its properties. That’s why it’s still in use after thousands of years.”