A recent reported issued by industry analyst firm SmarTech Publishing on the market of precious metal 3D printing for the jewellery industry foresees a 100 percent growth in sales of polymer 3D printer hardware used in jewellery production from US$80 million to US$160 million by 2019, buoyed by an uptick of lower-priced 3D printing machine. SmarTech expects profit from jewellery printing will skyrocket to 400 percent by 2020 to US$11 billion and the overall market topping US$250 million by 2028 with gold as the most common precious material in directly printed jewellery, accounting for over 86 percent among all of the other precious metal powders in 2022.
Gemmological Institute of China University of Geosciences (CUG) in Wuhan has set up the China Jewellery Advanced Manufacturing Research Center to tap into the fast growing 3D printing industry allowing by direct fabrication jewellery from precious metal powder including gold, platinum, titanium, silver, stainless steel and copper with more possibilities.
Go beyond shapes
Dr Hao Liang, deputy dean of CUG and distinguished professor of China Jewellery Advanced Manufacturing Research Center told Hong Kong Jewellery that the centre has developed an array of unique jewellery structures that never would have been possible for traditional production techniques. The louver, hinge, annular disc and polygonal faces structures have already obtained five patents.
Jiangnan Moonlit Night pendant depicts the night scenery of the ancient water town along the Yangtze River bank under the moonlight. The roof tiles and the traditional architecture reflection glitters on the calm river are formed by hinge and louver techniques achieved by 3D printing. The structures are flexible yet robust. The pliable and textile-like gold plate of the Soft earrings applied another patent-obtained craft, polygonal faces structure. The centre managed to place a pearl together with gold powder into the 3D printer and create the floating effect through trial and error, while the secret of the production method keeps under wraps.
The research centre has signed strategic cooperation agreements with companies such as Chow Tai Fook and Dimai to jointly develop and promote precious metals 3D printing
technology.
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