Optimisation of design of novel metal and ceramic 3D printer

该项目将优化创新3D打印机的设计，该打印机可以以当前方法提供的一小部分成本创建金属和陶瓷物体。这样一来，几乎任何人都有机会制作定制的金属和陶瓷物品。3D打印机将使工程师、设计师和企业家能够快速、经济、低能耗地创造和制造他们自己的定制产品。这个概念是由位于彼得伯勒的Photocentric公司发明的，该公司已经为一种新型3D打印机申请了专利，并将其商业化，用于打印塑料部件。这项专利是在英国开发的，它使用普通的高分辨率显示屏（比如高清电视）来制作图像，并使填充了非常小的金属或陶瓷颗粒的特殊配方树脂层硬化。光使液体层硬化，形成定制的形状，然后每次向上移动一层厚度，就可以创造出注射成型无法创造的几何形状的设计。这个过程是通过在窑中加热来完成的，只留下固体金属或陶瓷材料融合在一起。第一台使用这种技术的桌面打印机计划于2018年3月上市，成本不到5000英镑。

This project will optimise the design of an innovative 3D printer that can create metal and ceramic objects at a fraction of the cost provided by current methods. In doing so, it has the opportunity to enable virtually anyone to make custom metal and ceramic objects. The 3D printer will enable engineers, designers and entrepreneurs to create and manufacture their own custom products quickly, economically and with low energy use. This concept has been invented by Photocentric, based in Peterborough, who have already patented and commercialised a novel 3D printer to print plastic parts. This patent applied-for process, developed in the UK, uses a normal high resolution display screen, such as an HDTV, to create images that harden layers of specially formulated resins filled with very small metal or ceramic particles. The light hardens the liquid layer to create a custom shape and by then moving up a layer thickness at a time can create designs with geometries impossible to create by injection moulding. The process is finished by heating it in a kiln, leaving just the solid metal or ceramic material fused together. The first desktop printers using this technology are planned to be avilable in March 2018 costing under £5000.