Hi everyone!

I would just like to introduce the Metalbot Project, the first open initiative of it's kind, to design and create a 3D Printer capable of making metal parts (in titanium, tool steel etc)...

Metalbot - Community for 3D Metal Printing and Laser Sintering

I am sure many people here have heard of 3D Printers/printing, perhaps some of you have even had the opportunity to used them.

The two limiting factors with 3D printing have always been a - strength of the printed parts and b - part resolution. We are hoping to solve both of these problems by designing printer that works through a process called 'laser sintering' (although a few other avenues are being pursued).

Ideally we want to make this available to a wide range of people (at the moment there are only a handful of 'commercial' systems and these are way too expensive for the average person).

As an open source project the information is given free and taken free.

We are at the very early stages and need people who are interested in this subject to come forward and add their thoughts on the subject. Already we have had very clever suggestions that have improved the design greatly but there is a mountain of work still. Any knowledge could save a lot of time!

So specifically we are looking for experts in machining (some precision machining), physics (Laser physics and powder physics), programming and software, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering etc... there is tonnes of metal work and CAD design to be done...

I would be more than happy to answer any questions!

Best regards,

Jethro.