Lockheed Martin Patents 3D Diamond Printing

Products of any shape! The author wanted to insert a diamond tyrannosaur, but Google did not find a suitable picture. Photo source: Crystal Fox

On April 4, Lockheed Martin, one of the largest aerospace manufacturers in the world, applied for a patent for a new 3D printing technology - 3D printing with an artificial diamond.

The material from the site 3dprintingindustry.com is transferred for you Top 3D Shop .

In the patent application, inventor David G. Findley describes a new 3D printing method using a ceramics-bonding polymer and nanoparticle filler to create objects from synthetic diamond of almost any shape that one can imagine.
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About technology

David G. Findley:
“The method consists in layer-by-layer deposition of layers of ceramic powder and bonding them with a pre-dissolved polymer.
After the layer-by-layer construction is completed, the object is heated, at least to the decomposition temperature of the polymer, which is lower than the sintering temperature of the powder. ”


Image: US Patent and Trademark Office, Lockheed Martin

Although the printer is likely to be mainly used to make drills, cutters, and perhaps even light armor, its appearance can be excellent news for jewelers who can create diamonds of almost any shape.

About Lockheed Martin

Silent supersonic apparatus for NASA. Source: Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin, headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, is an international security and aerospace company with approximately 98,000 employees worldwide. The company is engaged in research, design, development, production, integration and support of modern technological systems, products and services.


Fighter USAF F-35. Source: nationalinterest.org

What else does 3D printing and diamonds have in common?

Photo: georgeherald.com

Diamond technology specialists from De Beers Technologies have invested in two Stratasys 3D printing systems — Fortus 360mc and Dimension 1200 — to increase parts production for the diamond industry.

Previously, the company covered its 3D printing needs with the help of third parties, but adding two machines means round-the-clock production at its diamond research center in Maidenhead, United Kingdom.

3D printers are used to create automated methods for checking and sorting diamonds, for prototyping parts of new equipment.

Andrew Portsmouth, Senior Mechanical Engineer at De Beers Technologies:
“Whenever I get an idea, the first thought is“ will it work ”? Now we can print the prototype for the night, test it the next day, find out the characteristics and shortcomings, make changes and print the corrected by the next morning to repeat all the tests. It is impossible to put into words how much 3D printing speeds development. ”


Optical measuring cell housing. Image: tctmagazine.com

One of the components of the equipment, the housing of the optical measuring cell (pictured above), cannot be created without 3D printing.

“The design features of this case give it many advantages in application, but these features mean that it is impossible to make it in other ways besides 3D printing,” explained Andrew.
"The production of this part on Fortus 360mc provided a cost reduction of 3-4 times, compared with the previous processing method, simply because it is a much cheaper process."

What do you think will be producing a diamond in Lockheed Martin?
What other applications besides instrumental and jewelry can be found with this technology? Share your opinion in the comments.