Over the last few years, a new method of suppressor manufacturing has emerged in the firearms industry. It’s called additive manufacturing, more casually referred to as 3D-printing.
DIrect Metal Laser Sintering
The process of building a 3D-printed suppressor begins with a design rendered in CAD, or a Computer-Aided-Design program. That design data is then transferred into a DMLS machine, DMLS an abbreviation for “direct metal laser sintering." A pile of powdered alloy is laid into this machine on top of a base plate. And yes, you heard correctly — whether it’s Inconel, titanium or stainless steel, 3D-printed suppressors all start from a pile of finely-granulated metal powder. Layer by laser-welded layer, the machine forges the suppressor into its full form. This is where the name “additive manufacturing” stems from. 3D-printed suppressors are “sintered” into being rather than cut away from raw cylinders or blocks of alloy. This relatively new process also saves the manufacturer money in the long run, as there’s no residual material left over like with the traditional cutting and welding together of baffles and tubes.
Now, when some folks hear that suppressors can be 3D-printed, they question their legality. This comes from the presumption that someone without a Class 3 SOT is sitting in their home making them with a $250 polymer filament printer. In the case of DMLS, however, the machines cost millions — and the manufacturers using them are responsible Class 3 FFL’s. So, the legality of 3D-printed cans falls under the same domain as any other suppressor: as long as you’re purchasing from a class 3 FFL, DMLS suppressors are completely legal — in fact, we at Silencer Central encourage trying one.
A cutaway comparison between traditional cut-and-weld suppressors from Rugged (left) and a 3D-printed suppressor from HUXWRX (right), the FLOW 7.62 Ti.
BETTER DESIGNS, TIGHTER TOLERANCES
Sometimes, another question arises: are 3D-printed suppressors as durable and reliable as traditional suppressors? The answer is a resounding yes. The precision of direct metal laser sintering machines means tighter tolerances and better quality control. This leads to enhanced suppressor concentricity over a firearm’s bore, which means far less baffle strikes or other complications for the end user.
Numerous companies have adopted DMLS in the past few years, and new designs are coming out every month. Some companies print complete cans from the ground up. Others only print certain components like the baffles or "monocores". These companies include but are not limited to B&T, Sig Sauer, Surefire, Dead Air, PTR, Off Grid, SilencerCo and HUXWRX — all brands that you can browse right here at Silencer Central. And of course, Silencer Central has their own line of 3D-printed suppressors too, such as the BANISH Speed K and Speed K Ti for rifles and carbines, or the 9K for handguns or PDW's. Because of the novelty of DMLS, for example, the BANISH 9K is so light it doesn't require a Nielsen Device to function.
The BANISH 9K, a suppressor created through additive manufacturing, or 3D-printing.
sophisticated Baffle GEometry
DMLS has opened a new frontier of creativity for manufacturers because it allows for more complex baffle geometries and interior designs. In the past, baffles only had a select few variations. They could only key, stack and index a few ways. Now, manufacturers are only limited by their imaginations. Avant-garde designs like Dead Air’s Triskelion™ baffles, HUXWRX’s Flow-Through® technology or PTR’s Purposely Induced Porosity™ — all made with DMLS — are elevating suppressor engineering.
The VENT 3 by PTR Firearms implements Purposely Induced Porosity™ metal foam, a technology only possible through DMLS and 3D-printing. Credit: PTR Firearms
All in their own ways, these 3D-printed suppressors reduce back pressure, recoil and decibels to levels previously thought impossible. Combined with CFD, or computational fluid dynamics modeling systems, manufacturers are testing and experimenting with new baffle geometries every day. On a computer screen, CFD allows them to visualize how gasses flow through their designs. They can then tweak and adjust future designs accordingly, squeezing out every bit of performance. In other words, with additive manufacturing, the sky’s the limit.
Yes, as long as they are purchased through a Class 3 FFL.
Yes. In fact, they have higher quality control standards and tigher design tolerances than traditional suppressors, since they are designed via CAD using DMLS machines.
Not necessarily, but they do have newer and more avant-garde baffle designs and internal geometry. Oftentimes, this means lower back pressure and better sound and light suppression.
3D-printed suppressors are suppressors designed in CAD and created in DMLS, or Direct Metal Laser Sintering machines from a base of powdered Inconel, titanium or stainless steel.
While many suppressors can be used on several different caliber firearms, we have some specific models that can make your shooting more enjoyable. Pick the caliber that you have in mind. If you don’t see your caliber, pick one close to it to see our recommendations.
