What are the uses of 3D printed tungsten?
Compared with powder metallurgy, tungsten parts produced by 3D printing technology not only have more abundant shapes, but also have higher comprehensive properties such as shielding performance and high temperature resistance, which makes them more widely used. The main uses of 3D printed tungsten are as follows:
1) Manufacture medical collimators. Compared with metal lead, tungsten alloy is more suitable for collimator production, which is not only because of its environmental protection, non-toxic characteristics, but also strong radiation protection ability. Collimator is a radiation head component of medical accelerator, which is mainly used in tumor radiotherapy.
2) Make nozzles. Compared with ordinary brass or steel nozzles, tungsten alloy nozzles have better thermodynamic properties, mainly reflected in good heat resistance, thermal conductivity, strong rigidity, high temperature strength, not easy to be affected by extreme tempering.
3) Manufacture parts for X-ray scanning equipment. High density makes tungsten alloy have excellent radiation protection performance, and high melting point and low volume expansion coefficient make tungsten alloy has a wider range of applications, suitable for high temperature environment.
4) Make screws. Tungsten screws with high specific gravity, low temperature resistance and corrosion resistance, etc., are widely used in golf head counterweight and parts of aerospace equipment.
5) Make a heat shield. It has the characteristics of good heat insulation effect, good corrosion resistance, strong absorption of radiation lines, excellent high temperature resistance and strong oxidation resistance, and is suitable for application in vacuum resistance furnace.
6) Fabricate tungsten anti-scattering mesh. The 3D printed tungsten anti-scattering mesh has the characteristics of high temperature resistance, wear resistance and strong radiation resistance, which is suitable for application in CT scanner. CT scanner is an important weapon against the Novel Coronavirus.
In addition to the tungsten parts mentioned above, 3D printing technology can also be used to produce tungsten needles, contacts, die-casting molds and heating elements.
