Originally Posted by
olnico
One thing that has to be considered is how the grain/ metal growth is done. I do not think that SLA produced aluminum parts will be as strong as a CNC machined parts made from certified billets.
For example, my 3D printed carbon fiber parts are not as strong as proper laminate layups. So the CAD design has to incorporate a loss of 30% in stiffness and strength.
Oli I am not sure that this is right. If the parts are made with laser sintering they are pretty much as strong as parts made from billet. Have a look at the con rods and auto transmission gears on this link.
https://www.mpif.org/DesignCenter/ca....asp?linkid=65
There is some surface treatment after they have been formed but that is no different to parts produced by traditional means.
I have had bronze inserts made for my moulds by metal sintering and they have taken a high polish and proved very durable.
John