Steel and Stainless Steel are typically 3D-printed by a process called Binder Jetting. These metals are printed by fusing metal powder together into a solid. Results vary depending on several factors. Shapeways uses this technique, among others, and this how they describe it: "In Binder Jetting, a binder is selectively deposited onto the powder bed, bonding these areas together to form a solid part one layer at a time. The materials commonly used in Binder Jetting are metals, sand, and ceramics that come in a granular, powder form."
Aluminum is typically 3D-printed using a process called Laser Powder Bed Fusion Metal (LPBF-M), also known as Selective Laser Melting (SLM). The SLM process uses a laser to scan and selectively melt the metal powder particles, bonding them together and building a part layer-by-layer. Results vary depending on several factors.
Brass, bronze, copper, platinum, and silver are typically made using wax casting in which a 3D-printer makes a master from castable wax. The final object, however, isn't actually "printed". A mold is then made by hand around the wax master, normally from plaster, and the metal object itself is then cast from the mold by hand using the "lost wax" technique. Once the object is cast, the mold is broken away and discarded, revealing the final object. So, 3D-printing is only used for part of the production process. If the final object is cast in brass, it can be plated in other fine metals such as gold. The 3D-printed-lost-wax process typically results in smooth surfaces and is often used to make jewelry. Metal nameplates of our design are made using this process.
All of these metal printing processes are typically expensive.
What this means is that the process is linked to the kind of metal chosen, and vice versa. So if you choose a metal, then there is typically a process associated with that metal. If you choose a process, the kinds of metals are limited to only those metals that can be produced by that process.
Hope this helps.
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