Pure copper – the perfect metal for electrical and thermal conductivity – allows for geometrically optimized parts that were previously expensive, time-consuming, or impossible to make.
What is pure copper?
Pure copper (>99.8%) is a ductile metal with high conductivity, typically difficult to machine, and formed into simple shapes when not 3D printing more complex designs.
How effective is copper?
Copper’s prime use is for thermal and electrical designs; but pure copper in the Markforged Metal X system goes beyond the norm. There’s no exposure to powders, and no expensive vacuum systems are required. Pure copper has a high laser reflectance rate, making it very difficult to use with standard laser-based systems that often encounter adhesion failures and thermal cracking issues. This is not the case with the Metal X system. This is the only way to reliably, safely, and affordably 3D print a pure copper material.
When to print with copper?
Copper’s high conductivity makes it an ideal material for many heat sinks and heat exchangers, power distribution components such as bus bars, manufacturing equipment including spot welding shanks, antennae for RF communications, and more. It is commonly used as an electrical conductor in power generation, distribution, circuitry, and many other types of electrical equipment.
- High power density applications
- High electrical transfer in space-constrained applications
Learn more about 3D printing with Copper >
Did you know?
- You’ll be prototyping your designs more rapidly because of the greater geometric freedom.
- There is significant design freedom; you’re not limited by manual brazing or new tooling.
- Because copper is a softer material traditionally shaped by rolling, extruding or casting, 3D printing this material enables more part possibilities that are also optimized for thermal and electrical performance.
