Digital Alloys' Joule system 3D-prints with wire

Instead of metal powder, the Joule Printing^™ method melts wire in a single step, according to the manufacturer, Digital Alloys.

Once the wire is positioned, the system pushes current through it and the part being printed and into the print bed. The current melts the wire tip using joule heating (or “resistance heating”), the same physics that heat a coil in a toaster. Melting and wire feeding continue while the print head moves, laying down beads of metal that are fused together to form fully dense metal parts.

The technology reportedly eliminates part oversizing, binder removal, sintering, and HIPing (hot isostatic pressing). The printer uses low-cost, widely available wire.