Contents
An interview with 3D Activation in Schmuck-Magazin shows how commonplace 3D-printed jewelery has become
Among the areas in which the introduction of 3D printing technology has led to decisive innovations – in addition to automotive, aircraft and mechanical engineering – has increasingly included fashion, art and design, such as 3D printing, for several years of jewelry. It should therefore hardly come as a surprise that the trade journal “Schmuck-Magazin” from Leinfelden-Echterdingen (near Stuttgart) dedicates a separate article to 3D-printed jewelery in its current March/April 2016 issue.
Under the heading “Nothing is impossible – jewelry with 3D printing”, Petra Bäuerle, the editor-in-chief of the jewelry magazine, not only offers an overview of the new possibilities that arise for jewelry designers thanks to 3D printing, she also lets experts from the industry, including Fabian Strohschein, Managing Director of 3D Activation GmbH, the 3D printing service from Wiesbaden and Thun/Switzerland.
Gold versus silver 3D printing
Strohschein explains which different 3D printing processes are used in gold and silver jewelery and why: “Selective laser sintering is used for 3D printing with gold, a process that has also been used in print processing for a long time of PA (=polyamide) plastics is used. With this 3D printing process, individual layers are selectively fused using a laser beam and the desired 3D model is built up using the data specified in the print file. It is crucial that the starting material (PA or gold) is in the form of a fine powder. Due to the significantly higher melting temperature of gold compared to plastic, a significantly more energetic laser beam is required for selective laser sintering with this precious metal than for PA printing.
3D printing with silver works differently. This only creates a wax model of the later silver object on the 3D printer, the actual model is then produced in traditional craftsmanship”. Printing directly in silver is “possible, but too expensive,” says Strohschein.
In general, the following applies to 3D Activation when it comes to 3D jewelry printing: “Rings and other pieces of jewelry made of gold, brass, bronze, copper, steel, metal, etc. can be printed directly and then refined”.
Be creative yourself with the 3D online configurator
The 3D online configurator, which is currently in the pilot phase, also played a role in this interview. “The 3D online configurator is intended to give business customers the opportunity to create individual 3D print designs for employees and customers. The decisive fact is that no CAD program is required for this. A mobile phone cover with the initials of the addressee can be produced just as easily as a ring with an individual engraving,” says Strohschein, explaining the configurator.
Find out more about the 3D online configurator and our other services, materials and printing processes on our website.
To the 3D online configurator
Image source: ©Schmuck-Magazine/www.schmuckmagazin.de