[tumblindice]

Sounds like scintering. I was driving around the DC beltway in a ‘67 Chevy station wagon with scintered valve rockers.
One or more of the rockers exploded at speed, and sounded like a gun going off.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Sounds like scintering.

You would think so, when they talk about metal powder as the “ink.” But then, it seems that no pressure is involved in the process, only heat from a powerful laser which actually does the printing, after the powder is laid down. Might it not more resemble welding in that case?

On a lighter note (pun intended), there have been articles posted in the past year or so about the economical production of titanium powder. If you are going to the expense of 3-D printing your complex, precision metal part, it would seem that you could find it advantageous to use titanium powder to make it light and strong as well.

The article I’m remembering was about a British company which proposed to use an unconventional (for titanium production) chemical process, and claimed a projected cost per pound competitive with specialty steels. Since titanium is only about 1/3 the density of steel and approximately as strong as steel, that could be a winner.

[jonascord]

There is no 'c' in sintering. Sintered bronze bushings, pressed bronze powder mixed with a lubricant, have been popular for years for low speed linear and limited rotation joints.

I'm only supposing, here, but I'm betting that the bushing that let go was a sleeve bushing, or the bearing that the rocker arm pivots on.