The original post: /r/3dprinting by /u/HiddenTTY on 2024-12-26 08:36:30.

Hello, i got kind of gifted a BASF 3kg 316L metal filament spool… and now thinkering about what i should try out with it… I own a Bambu A1 that should be able to extrude it into “green parts”

For brief reminder this filament is meant to be 3D printed before beeing heat sintered then become a stainless steel part… That sick !

You need to buy coupons to send your 3D print to be processed to a factory

The whole process pose two main issue, first the print size look to be limited to à maximum to 100x100x100mm. Then the part would shrink a lot, (around 20%) during the process of sintering… That would make parts with critital dimensions quite hard to make…

More about the process :

Due to costs and limitation it’s a bit hard to found a “perfect” usage for this filament. I would’nt like to waste it in some Benchy you know… Mecanical parts like gears would be nice, but the shrink tolerance make me feel like it’s a lost quest to expect fall into expected dimension at the end… If someone experienced here could share tips and realisation that would be insanely cool !

Soooo maybe standalone part without too too much critical dimensions required would probably be the easier type of print to start with. By the past i’ve made machined some custom tools for alpinism and climbing… Maybe this could be a cool usage to try to make insanely lighwheigt mountainering gear ?

Anyway let me known what’s would you like to make of stainless steel ?!