3D printing technology is also known as additive manufacturing. The use of this technology to manufacture metal devices is somewhat similar to the powder metallurgy process we currently use. It is based on metal powders, such as ceramic powders and metal powders. The difference is that the material powder is not joined by sintering, but is formed by using a special adhesive to "print" the cross section of the part onto the material powder.

At present, one of the difficulties of 3D printing technology is to use refractory metal for printing, especially metals with high melting points such as tungsten, chromium and bismuth, not to mention nano-sized powder particles. Over the years, scientists from all over the world have worked on new processes that can be cost-effective and achieve the desired performance requirements.

Recently, foreign scientists have developed a new technology that can create complex nanoscale metal structures using 3D printing technology. This technology can be used in a variety of applications, such as creating 3D logic on tiny computer chips, and manufacturing engineering ultralight aircraft components, for example, to create new types of nanomaterials with different properties. .

In 3D printing, objects are built layer by layer, allowing for the creation of products that do not require conventional subtractive methods such as etching or milling. The materials scientist at the California Institute of Technology in the 3D printer group (additive manufacturing machine) designed an ultra-thin three-dimensional architecture whose beam is only nanometer-scale, too small to be seen with the naked eye.

The new 3-D group prints the structure of various materials, from ceramics to organic compounds. In addition, scientists are also working hard to break through 3D printing of refractory metals like tungsten and titanium, especially when trying to make fine powders that are less than about 50 microns in size or about half the width of the hair.