$2 3D printer? Boss, come to a thousand
The title "Metal 3D printer" recently went viral online, with some claiming it's a "$2 metal printer." When I first saw the topic, I immediately thought it was just hype. The most expensive thing I've ever bought for $2 abroad is from a Dollar Store (a shop that sells items for $1–$2). Could I really buy a metal 3D printer there and take it home?
From what I know, industrial-grade metal 3D printers are already quite mature. They typically work by using metal powder combined with a high-energy laser to melt and solidify the material. These systems, like SLM (Selective Laser Melting), require powerful lasers and precise positioning of both the powder and the laser head. Most of these machines are produced by major companies in the U.S. and Germany, and they come with a hefty price tag. There are also low-end alternatives. A friend from the U.S. once mentioned a technique involving welding, where metal is melted at high temperatures. However, the results I saw looked rough—like a cheap imitation.
When I think of electroplating, I usually imagine it as a surface finishing process—turning something dull into a shiny metallic object. But this article surprised me. An Argentine guy took a creative approach by using electroplating as a forming method. He placed an electrolyte inside a large pen, added an anode inside, and used a printed metal panel as the cathode. Then, he used a CNC-like device to make contact between the pen and the metal plate, triggering an electrochemical reaction. Metal ions from the solution then deposited onto the plate. The video he showed was of a pen filled with an electrolyte, with metal being plated on a rotating disk below.
The result looked pretty rough, and the rotating disk made it feel a bit strange. I can imagine several issues with the prototype. First, using such a large panel as a cathode would create high resistance, leading to significant power loss. Second, and more importantly, electroplating is extremely slow. In industrial settings, only a few tens of microns of metal can be plated per minute. This printer’s speed is likely even slower than standard plastic 3D printers. Overall, it's far from practical.
That said, I do see some potential in this concept. First, theoretically, electroplating could achieve higher precision. If you control the contact points between the electrolyte and the cathode, the accuracy might match current industrial standards. Second, if all you need is a power supply and an electrolyte, the cost is much lower than traditional metal 3D printers. Plus, it’s safer than welding-based methods. Third, different electrolytes can be used to print various metals—stainless steel, copper, gold, silver, nickel, even plastics like PP or PVC.
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how to improve the printing speed of this prototype, but I haven’t found a clear solution yet. The main issue is that the design only has one electrolyte outlet, and the accuracy depends on that single nib. So, there's a trade-off between speed and precision. Using multiple electrodes could help, but it would complicate the control system. Another idea is to make the pen able to move in different directions, allowing the electrolyte to be applied from various angles. That could be a big improvement.
In the end, I believe the $2 mentioned in the title refers to the pen itself. If anyone truly believes that $2 can be used to buy a 3D printer, I’d love to place an order for a thousand of them.
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