In 2014, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), together with Tsinghua University researchers, published a paper in Science China Technological Sciences, titled “Liquid Phase 3D Printing for Quickly Manufacturing Conductive Metal Objects with Low Melting Point Alloy Ink.” The paper, which discussed how to more quickly and affordably 3D print using metal materials, was ahead of the curve, as 3D metal printing is now one of the fastest growing aspects of the 3D printing technology field. The researchers postulated that unconventional methods, like liquid phase 3D printing, could potentially solve the issues. The two Chinese educational institutions didn’t stop their work with 3D liquid metal printing there, but soldiered on, and recently published some brand-new research.
XJet liquid metal inks.
Family-owned Vader Systems and Israel-based startup XJet are two of the bigger players in the liquid metal 3D printing game, while 3D printing artist Ioan Florea used liquid metal 3D printing techniques to make his stunning Gran Torino piece of abstract art. Tsinghua University’s Jing Liu, who was a co-author on the 2014 paper, also co-authored a research paper published earlier this month in Materials & Design, titled “3D printing for functional electronics by injection and package of liquid metals into channels of mechanical structures.” Other co-authors of this paper include Jin-Rong Lu and Yong-Ze Yu, both with the Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (TIPCCAS). (3D Print.com)
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