A big priority for people when they need 3D printing and rapid prototyping in Seattle is the strength and durability of the materials used. This is why so many researchers work to create new plastics that can endure higher pressures, greater temperatures, and other challenges that a 3D printed model might need to deal with. Recently, a Dutch company known as Smit Röntgen managed to achieve a new height toward this end by unveiling a device capable of printing in tungsten.
Tungsten is notable for possessing the highest tensile strength, the highest melting point, and the lowest vapor pressure of any non-alloy metal. At the tail end of a ten-year research product, Smit Röntgen has created a printer that produces pure tungsten items out of tungsten powders. This is an exciting achievement for many fields, in particular the medical field where tungsten shows a lot of promise as a substitute for lead as a protective shield against x-ray radiation. At double the density of lead, a tungsten radiation shield can be as little as half as thick as a lead equivalent.
Since Smit Röntgen has for a long time served as a supplier of medical parts, the company has a vested interest in medical developments. However, items printed from tungsten are sure to attract the attention of many other fields that require high-performance prototypes. The 3D printing world therefore watches Smit Röntgen’s progress with great interest.
