由3D打印机制造出的柯尔特手枪。来自德克萨斯州Solid Concepts公司的工程师们首次在世界上成功制造出了金属制手枪。4 张照片

In May 2013, he made his first shot with a pistol printed using a 3D printer – the plastic Liberator. Although ABS plastic is far from the ideal material for such purposes, the very possibility of producing functional firearms through 3D printing aroused serious concerns among American authorities. Discussions about this historic event and its potential consequences continue to this day. However, a few days ago, the American company Solid Concepts added fuel to the fire by demonstrating a precise replica of the legendary M1911 pistol, manufactured using direct laser welding of metal – a technology also used in the production of medical instruments and automobile parts, as well as in NASA’s manufacturing processes for rocket engine components. This pistol consists of over thirty pieces, all made from stainless steel 17-4 or Inconel 625 material. Interestingly, the original M1911 is actually composed of 53 separate components. The grips of this replica were fabricated using selective laser sintering 3D printing technology. The barrel’s rifling was produced by a precision process that ensured its absolute cleanliness without any additional treatment. After assembly, the individual parts were carefully polished and manually fitted together to ensure optimal functionality. During tests, the pistol fired 50 shots successfully, demonstrating high accuracy. The company’s representatives stated that they created this prototype merely to demonstrate the reliability of components produced using DMLS technology. Currently, such metal-printing equipment is too expensive for the vast majority of enthusiasts. The cost of the industrial printer used in its production amounts to more than what I spent on my higher education – and our machines are operated by top-notch engineers who possess extensive expertise in 3D printing.