The image is a poorly executed FDM 3D print stylized version of the image Wikipedia image I posted, and metal 3D printing costs much more than the few cents quoted in the tweet.
Even if you were to 3D print the nut in metal, it wouldn’t be as strong as the machined original due to porosity and such, and being as that is the nut that holds the helicopter rotors to the helicopter, making it weaker would be very ill advised.
chiliedogg@lemmy.world 21 hours ago
It’s a joke.
But also, there are other, better forms of metal printing. One is to use metal powder and laser-weld it layer by layer.
billbasher@lemmy.world 20 hours ago
That is probably what those printers are. I have welded with a wire feed and that cog would be pretty hard to make. I would just drill after for the hole I think