I printed this out of ABS filament, it's basically just 8 stacked cones, it allowed me to print it as one solid piece of plastic. I turned and knurled a barbed thread insert that I heated and pressed/melted in, using a 16" barrel kept an eye looking down the bore checking alignment as I spun the barrel and my tweaks to the still pliable base of the silencer as it cooled, I marked the front cap by heating letter punches with a torch and basically branded the plastic to a nice depth.




Rendering of the 3D print process


Section view in Solidworks


Transparent view in Solidworks showing the threaded insert

That is interesting. How long do you expect at the last?

He marked the endcap, so forever.

If the hearing protection act passes and suppressors go OTC with no tax stamp, send that to Magpul ...

  Until it fills up with crud and lead, heat and erosion is going to be pretty minimal on a pistol because it's not like I'm going to be doing a bunch of 30 round mag dumps.

That's pretty cool. I like the idea of sending it to magpul. But first, send me one.

Outside of the cost of the printer, how much would you say it's cost in materials? If you care to share...

What 3d pirinter did you use?  The finish looks great, so you did post production sanding, you used a high end non filiment process, or the pictures are just missing the details.

Can you print this one halfway in crossection to show us the interior?  What plastic did you use?

Oh I've got about $2-3 in it, about $1.5 in plastic and the rest in the hunk of brass used for the thread adapter.

One thing to note this design really can only be made on a 3D printer, it would be nearly impossible to injection mold.

Yeah the outside has been acetone smoothed and sanded, I made it using ABS on my gen1 Makerbot Replicator.

I'll make some renderings of the interior.

Did you post the files on any of the share sites?  If so can I get a link?

I won't be doing that, the design is simple enough to replicate and I don't want the State Dept. breathing down my neck over publicly posting technical ITAR regulated data.

Thats probably smart.  I wish I knew more about the 3d printing stuff.  If the HPA passes, expect an IM from me

FIFY
If HPA passes, I would bet something like this would sell like hot cakes at $40-$50 retail.

The next logical step is to print a core that drops into a registered tube

now where would we find a tested core design?

Attached File
Attached File

Just out of curiosity, how long did it take to print, what resolution, fill %, temps, etc.?

Just getting into 3d printing and wondering about the print details

I bet it could be injection molded.  each cone separate and then ultrasonic welded together after.

That is awesome.

Well dang! Its nice, but you are infringing on a patent!  Someone thought of it in 2013 and filesd a patent that was granted in 2016.  
But as long as it is not for sale, no issue.

You should do some research on patents, because you're spreading misinformation.
Not that I care, whether or not you're infringing a patent, but please stop giving legal advice when you have no clue.

Got a patent number to review?  Would have to see what was claimed to decide if there was infringement.   There has been a lot of patents placed that are just 3d printed something already existing.  In the loop g run I do the see alot of them standing for long.

I had this same idea the other day. Have the tube registered and have a inner sealed mono core that drops in. Once it has filled up with crap push it out and repeat. Like a grease gun and grease tube.

I could see this taking off with folks who have older Store bought cans that are filled with crap and or not a very good design. (Rimfire is what I am referring too of course)

I would also like to see a design like this for a integral 10/22 can. Have a large sealed monocore K baffle design. Then have it nest in a split tube like the sparrow or Axoim and then have that in the serialized tube. Once it fills up with crud. Remove outer tube think of gemtech Mist then remove mono core (Inner split tube should allow for super easy removal) and trash old stack and print off a new one. Enjoy for another couple of thousand.

One of the things that passage of the HPA might bring, is using unconventional materials in cans that have not been done.  In the past a "lifetime purchase" would dictate that steel, Ti and Al be used for longevity.  Imagine something like a Silpat mat, that is heat tolerant (and dishwasher safe!), used in baffle construction.  And the idea of disposables.  It will be an interesting thought experiment.  Also quietness as the end goal might be ok in a $1K can, but in a $30 disposable it might be price point.

Yep, here is the patent.  
United States Patent 9,470,466
Washburn, III ,   et al. October 18, 2016  
Monolithic noise suppression device for firearm
Abstract

A monolithic noise suppression device comprising a monolithic, integral baffle housing module. The module comprising, in turn, at least no welded joints or seams between the various components that make up the core of the module and no welded joints or seams between the core, or any structures that make up the core, and the various interior surfaces and/or structures that make up the body of the module. The module is preferably plastic and manufactured using a layered printing process. The monolithic, integral baffle housing module may include various other features that enhance performance, reduce manufacturing cost, facilitate customization and eliminate restrictions on disposability as compared to conventional noise suppression devices. The monolithic noise suppression device may further comprise a first stage noise suppression device to be used in conjunction with the monolithic, integral baffle housing module.

And if monolithic is too big a word for you,,it means one piece! Such as made from sla.

And if you aren't selling these, then you could make one just like a metal one.....
If you were to set up an operation legally, and try to manufacture them to sell, this guy would sue your butt off.  
It would be called infringement....
Now go back in the corner dude.

Now jbowles did make a nice monolithic silencer.

What is with the misinformation trolls this week???

I'm gonna give you the benefit of doubt and assume you can read. We can just agree that you're too lazy to read some of the first rules of patent law. So, I'll leave this right here for you.

35 U.S.C. 271 - Infringement of patent.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this title, whoever without authority makes, uses, offers to sell, or sells any patented invention, within the United States, or imports into the United States any patented invention during the term of the patent therefor, infringes the patent.



And since we've established that you can read, peruse over claims 12 & 13, of said patent, and tell me how we can get around it.

Why do these threads always to turn to shit? You can just tell who were the fucking hall monitors as kids. This kind of shit is why I stopped going to silencertalk.

Hey guss what fuckbags, this isn't a thread to discuss your misconceptions of patent law? Did you sit for the patent bar? Did you invent the monolithic supressor? No? Then why not shut the fuck up. OP did something awesome and no one is impressed by your ability to shit upon our discussion of it.

Im not a patent lawyer, but I have worked with a few.  The patent does not apply in this case.  The OPs design has 2 parts and the patent is clear that claim 1 is "...wherein the noise suppression device includes no joints, seams, or any formerly separate pieces within any of the body, the core, and the one or more baffles.". All other claims modify claim 1 and 14, which is very similar to claim 1.

OPs clearly has 2 parts that were formerly separate parts.  

There is also clear and public examples of suppressors being 3d printed, monolithically or otherwise, years before the claim was filed in March 2013.   I don't believe the patent would be found valid if reviewed under further scrutiny as one can only patent novel ideas, technologies, processes....


OP printed a nice product and showed us the end results.  Awsome.   Go shit post somewhere else or just don't post at all.

You miss the point. No one cares about your legal analysis.

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2017/02/14/3-d-printed-suppressor/

Thanks to the OP for agreeing to share the details of his build. Well done.

Sir, I agree with you and my post was not aimed at you.  Maybe no one cares about patent law.  Fine.  The previous post just worked me the wrong way because they were posted in the attempt to make the OPs project or all others attempting similar projects to look bad and possibly illegal.  To hell with it.

My first try of 3d printing a display piece cutaway of a 22lr suppressor.  No way to mount it yet and I'm thinking of just trying a monocore for a c cell sized mag-lite tube.
Attached File

Unless I missed something, it's always the falsities being spread which, at least for me, take priority.
There's a huge majority of people that frequent these sites in search of the same info we're here to share. (this is a technical forum and, as such, should contain the correct, and legal, information)
It seriously chaps my ass when some jack-hole comes in and tries to deceive others.
It's not a crime to have little knowledge of a subject, but to try and mislead others is inexcusable, and I will always do my best to rebut those idiots.
Remember, everything we put here comes up in a Google search and is left for some unsuspecting newbie to stumble upon as fact.

I applaud people like the OP, for stepping outside of tradition and bringing new ideas to light.
If you don't like what  others have to say, well, that's what the little wheel on your mouse is for.

Could you serialize the brass insert piece and then reprint the rest of the unit when needed?

Is it possible to 3d print over other metal parts, such as metal baffles, threaded inserts, etc?

Not in the US of A. It would constitute making a new suppressor and require a new tax stamp.


It might be tricky with the nozzle clearance and youd be letting the layers cool while pausing the print to insert the baffle.
Also, the metal might hold too much heat, while firing, and cause distortion or melting, from w/in.

I have printed around metal nuts alot.  You 3d print with a hollow cavity the size of a regular nut where ever you need threads.  Pause the machine when the cavity is nut deep.  Insert the nut, and restart.  The printer will print over the nut like it wasn't there.  Bonding may be a bit weaker locally due to the metal being a heat sink.  We've used soldering irons to heat the nut up after insertion to minimize the heasink effect.  Usually make sure the wall thickness is thicker around inserted parts.

OP did by making part solid and the area for the insert is thicker than other locations.