Researchers have discovered that printed steel is three times stronger than normal steel and will be used on airplanes and in nuclear reactors
3D printing is revolutionizing industry, especially manufacturing. So far, however, one of the main flaws of this technology is the perishability and low strength of the materials used. To overcome this problem, researchers have developed a new system of printing with stainless steel.
With this new technique you can build objects up to three times stronger than normal. So much so that with the printed steel you will build parts of spacecraft, oil pipelines and even parts of nuclear reactors. All objects that are designed to be ultra-strong. After these tests, stamped steel will be ready to invade some mass industry products as well. Stainless steel was invented almost 150 years ago and is still popular today. It is made by melting steel with a combination of iron and carbon (and sometimes with the addition of other metals, such as nickel), chromium and molybdenum are then added to this compound, which prevent rust and corrosion.
3D Printed Steel
A complex series of cooling steps gives the material a microscopic structure with fine alloy grains creating a cellular structure. When the metal is bent or stressed, defects can occur. But through the 3D printing technique most of these small manufacturing defects are eliminated making the final material extremely flexible and durable. In practice, printed steel avoids internal micro-fractures that can diminish the life of the material over time. In tests, not surprisingly, steel made with 3D printers has been found to be stronger than any steel made with more conventional techniques.