Meltio Helps Grow Rubies Inside 3D Printed Platinum

At the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), the Centre for Print Research (CFPR) is using metal 3D printing to help grow gemstones directly inside platinum structures. The team is using a Meltio Engine integrated with a 5-axis HAAS CNC machine to build structures from platinum wire.

With this hybrid system, the researchers can stop the build, place a tiny crystal seed inside the partially finished structure, and then continue printing around it. That seed can later be used to grow a ruby or sapphire directly inside the piece.

Growing a gem inside platinum sounds almost like giving raw materials a superpower, but the idea could go far beyond jewelry. Being able to pause a metal build, place something inside it, and then continue printing could eventually help embed sensors, ma