A team of researchers from the University of Twente has found a way to 3D print structures of copper and gold, by stacking microscopically small metal droplets. These droplets are made by melting a thin metal film using a pulsed laser. Their work is published on Advanced Materials.
A copper micro-pillar with a height of 0.86 millimetres and a width of 0.005 millimetres. The pillar is formed from drops that had a diameter of 0.001 millimetres. With this technique, more complex shapes can also be printed.
Seriously though, I wonder how long it will take to get this tech integrated into something "consumer grade". I'm not a big 3D printing buff, but I know that Barnacules would probably be super excited about this since, as far as I know, there's not too many "metallic" substances to print with. It would be pretty rad to 3D print copper waterblocks and stuff
