Next in the "Can Plasma?" series: can plasma 3D print metal? Yes. And that's just one of the eight distinct places plasma already shows up in additive manufacturing. Quick tour.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 The question, and the broader ask

00:20 1. Feedstock production: plasma melts wire and atomizes molten metal into fine droplets

00:35 Control atmosphere to reduce oxygen content

00:41 Blend different wires into plasma for on-the-fly alloy creation

00:54 2. Feedstock conditioning: clean rough particles, spheroidize them, ready for laser sintering

01:19 3. Instead of a laser, use plasma directly: arcs or thermal plasma melting the metal in place

01:37 4. Surface activation and modification for printing (including between layers)

01:49 5. Post-processing: plasma as a heat source to re-melt or polish surf ...