Printing of Tin

[stevenpetrone 0]

Hey everyone,

I've noticed that as a lot of metal composite materials are coming out, nobody is making any tin filaments. As tin has a melting point way below the max temp for an Ultimaker, and it isn't that hard so it shouldn't wear down the nozzle, is there any reason there couldn't be pure tin filament for the first pure metal filament for a desktop printer? If tin poisoning is a concern you could build an enclosure with a HEPA filter and fan to filter the fumes.

[swordriff 119]

You cannot print pure Tin with an existing 3d printer because the metal conducts the heat too well. You will not be able to melt "just the tip" since the heat will spread upwards in the filament and onto other parts in the hot end and the tube.

It is somewhat similar to the problem of welding aluminium: if you have a 1x1x10cm bar of aluminium, lying on "steel-sponge" so not all heat is transferred away, then when you heat it with an acetylene flame at the end all of it will suddenly melt at once.

This problem is solved in welding by applying a gas covering and cooling the surrounding area which you actually want to heat up, preventing enough thermal transfer so not everything collapses at once.

[nallath 1,120]

I've seen people print with a welder, so tin should theoretically be possible. I do think that there will be a ton of problems involved.