Print a gun: Round 2, now with real guns and more metal.

[Kyreth]

A Texas company has successfully made a stainless-steel M1911 pistol using 3-D printing, successfully firing over 50 rounds with bulls-eye accuracy out to 30 yards or so.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/08/tech/i...html?hpt=hp_t2

Note that this isn't something you'd make with your at home printer, but an industrial-grade one that's costing more than a high-end sports car. To me, it's a mark of how effective we can get at using this technique to assemble more and more complex and durable items in a simpler manner.

The company, Solid Concepts has said it's interested in using the technique to print replacement parts for handguns.

[Callisto]

3D printers are absolutely awesome, but this is still worrisome to me. Large illegal operations(cartels, etc.) can easily afford an industrial-grade 3D printer so potentially they could just crank out tons of their own guns without having to worry about tracking down ones made by real manufacturers. Still the sheer potential of 3D printing is pretty crazy to me, hopefully it doesn't get fucked up by stuff like this.

[Ghost_Wheel22]

There would be some parts that couldn't be printed easily such as the recoil spring, sear spring, and firing pin. But still this is huge steps in technology AND could help the dilemma of MIM parts in 1911s!

Meanwhile, at Taurus...

[Deadgye]

Does this mean I can finally print the car I torrented?

Spoiler: show

[Moss]

yeah just bring it on a USB to your nearest Kinko's

[Fhqwghads]

Large illegal operations(cartels, etc.) can easily afford an industrial-grade 3D printer so potentially they could just crank out tons of their own guns without having to worry about tracking down ones made by real manufacturers.

If they wanted to make their own firearms they can go to any Home Depot and pick up everything they need to build one. I don't understand why people are so worked up over this aspect of 3D printing.

[Blubbartron]

If they wanted to make their own firearms they can go to any Home Depot and pick up everything they need to build one. I don't understand why people are so worked up over this aspect of 3D printing.

Because most people don't have the skill to be a gunsmith, but basically everyone that isn't a paraplegic can press a button to do 3D printing.

[Fhqwghads]

Because most people don't have the skill to be a gunsmith, but basically everyone that isn't a paraplegic can press a button to do 3D printing.

Yeah but the machine they used to mill the metal pistol is over $50,000. That's a lotta shitty Home Depot firearms right there.

[Suvhater]

cartels dont make their own firearms, nor do they seek out manufacturers. They bribe the guy in charge of their local military armory and steal firearms, or they corrupt a large portion of the police and get theirs.

[Jaybar]

Because most people don't have the skill to be a gunsmith, but basically everyone that isn't a paraplegic can press a button to do 3D printing.

As someone who does 3D printing, it is far more than pressing a button (although I like to make fun of it that way). You need a flawless 3D model to work from. Any kinks or even an overlapping line can fuck up everything - and the software doesn't always catch it. I tend to think that these huge industrial 3D printers have some state-of-the-art software to work with and their models have undergone extensive testing to make sure the machine prints flawlessly. You will not see this in your neighbor's garage anytime soon just as you don't see an industrial machine fabricator in them either.

[BaneTheBrawler]

As someone who does 3D printing, it is far more than pressing a button (although I like to make fun of it that way). You need a flawless 3D model to work from. Any kinks or even an overlapping line can fuck up everything - and the software doesn't always catch it. I tend to think that these huge industrial 3D printers have some state-of-the-art software to work with and their models have undergone extensive testing to make sure the machine prints flawlessly. You will not see this in your neighbor's garage anytime soon just as you don't see an industrial machine fabricator in them either.

not to mention it's a huge ass industrial printer. the ATF is probably going to have a peek at anyone buying one of these things.

[bluefan]

Don't these printers also need specialized materials to actually print stuff? Just ordering that stuff in bulk can't come cheap and is sure to throw some flags.

[Kyreth]

There would be some parts that couldn't be printed easily such as the recoil spring, sear spring, and firing pin. But still this is huge steps in technology AND could help the dilemma of MIM parts in 1911s!

Meanwhile, at Taurus...

Mind you, they managed to model and print out the entire weapon. There's nothing in the M1911 they produced that didn't come out of the machinery, as it were. So they successfully modeled and produced all three parts. Doing a gun had to be one of the biggest PR moves they could have managed, as most complex machinery would have been a relative "Meh". After those drips in the UK busted "gun makers" who were printing plastic parts for a printer, of all things...

It'd also give us a way to "preserve" older weapons in a relatively easy reproduction method. Exotic weapon part? Long as it's modeled properly, you could roll out a new batch of parts for anything with the right files. What I've always wondered is if eventually, we get to the point of being able to "print" layered metalworking ala Damascus steel and the like instead of the traditional fold/layering methods. That could produce some truly artistic and well-made blanks for, say, knifework.

[Jaybar]

Don't these printers also need specialized materials to actually print stuff? Just ordering that stuff in bulk can't come cheap and is sure to throw some flags.

Most printers use ABS and PLA plastics. For the 3D gun I'm sure it was a much more sophisticated plastic. Lots of problems with shrinking occur with cheaper printers and the plastics I mentioned, forcing you to a small printing palette. Costs go up exponentially the larger you want your model to become.

However the ABS/PLA plastics are stupid cheap for its volume.

Um but I forget myself - are these industrial 3D printers using metals?

[Kyreth]

Most printers use ABS and PLA plastics. For the 3D gun I'm sure it was a much more sophisticated plastic. Lots of problems with shrinking occur with cheaper printers and the plastics I mentioned, forcing you to a small printing palette. Costs go up exponentially the larger you want your model to become.

However the ABS/PLA plastics are stupid cheap for its volume.

Um but I forget myself - are these industrial 3D printers using metals?

In this case, yes. The pistol's stainless steel with a carbon-fiber grip.

[Ghost_Wheel22]

Mind you, they managed to model and print out the entire weapon. There's nothing in the M1911 they produced that didn't come out of the machinery, as it were. So they successfully modeled and produced all three parts.

Actually very curious how they managed to print a #15 spring because that would be very tricky indeed. Not saying impossible but I bet they have a mountain of failed scrap. Also looking at their exploded layout they don't show the spring so I think they might have passed on making that part for now. Still pretty fucking awesome overall though.

[BaneTheBrawler]

machine like that i'd be surprised if it can't make springs. they're not terribly difficult, just specialized. but if you already have an extruder (which is kinda the definition of a 3-D printer) all you need is a small arm and a vice to make the spring. if you're spending $50,000 on a machine, you expect it to have all the bells and whistles.

[Buffy]

What's the theoretical difficulty in creating a spring? Isn't it just a curved, small piece of metal with a certain tensile strength? I thought small parts like that would actually be something 3D printers would excel at.

*I know nothing about 3D printers*

[Mojo]

3d printers are great for making complex shaped things or things that are each slightly different or for prototyping things. There are much better and simpler fabrication methods for something like a gun. There has never been any reason why a cartel couldn't fabricate their own weapons.