Cheaper, more powerful lasers are increasingly finding their way into hobby workshops. These include fiber lasers and laser welding devices. They can join or separate metal or clean surfaces. Under the name Cranktown City, a maker shows how they can be used to build a simple metal 3D printer.
A 2000-watt fiber laser welding device from Skyfire serves as the energy source. The axes come from a used 3D printer that previously ran at a now-closed company that manufactured insoles. The developer reinforced the frame with steel. The welding gun replaces the hot end. He replaced the trigger with a CNC switch so that the control system can trigger the process.
Problems quickly arose during the first attempts. Heat accumulated in the structure and pushed the build plate to its limits. Later, the plate even welded itself to the Z-axis support. A powerful fan and additional space between the plate and the support prevented this from happening. The wire also interfered with the process. It stuck to the surface when the layer changed. The developer therefore stopped the feed at the end of the layer and pulled the wire away from the component.
The gas also influenced the application. Compressed air created a weak deposit that cracked easily. Nitrogen produced better results. Argon worked most reliably as a protective gas. As an example, a vase was created at the end. The layers are still rough, but the approach works in principle.
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