Copper, renowned for its distinctive reddish-orange luster and exceptional electrical and thermal conductivity
Copper, renowned for its distinctive reddish-orange luster and exceptional electrical and thermal conductivity, has become a critical material across industries ranging from electronics to aerospace. With the advancement of 3D printing technologies, this ancient metal is experiencing a revival, enabling the fabrication of components with unprecedented complexity, light weight, and integrated functionality.
Copper and its alloys (such as CuCrZr, CuSn) offer not only excellent electrical and thermal conductivity but also good corrosion resistance, ductility, and mechanical strength. This makes 3D-printed copper parts particularly suitable for electrical components, high-efficiency heat sinks, and corrosion-resistant structures.
However, printing copper presents challenges: its high thermal conductivity can easily lead to part distortion, while its relatively low melting point can affect interlayer bonding quality. Currently, high-quality printing is primarily achieved through the following advanced technologies:
Metal Powder Bed Fusion (PBF): Includes technologies like SLM/DMLS, capable of producing high-density, high-strength complex end-use parts, making it a mainstream choice.
Binder Jetting: Efficiently forms complex geometries, with final properties achieved through subsequent sintering.
Directed Energy Deposition (DED): Suitable for repairing large components or adding features.
Innovative Processes: Such as Markforged's Metal FFF and Holo's liquid metal lithography, offering additional possibilities for printing with copper.
Leveraging its unique properties, 3D-printed copper is already shining in multiple cutting-edge fields:
Electronics & Electrical: Manufacturing induction coils, motor windings, waveguides, and antennas.
Thermal Management: Producing high-performance heat sinks, vapor chambers, heat exchangers, and conformal cooling mold inserts.
Aerospace: Used in rocket engine combustion chambers, propulsion system components, and more.
Global material giants like Sandvik and Höganäs, along with leading equipment manufacturers such as EOS, 3D Systems, and SLM Solutions, already offer mature copper materials and printing solutions, driving the industrialization of this technology.
3D printing is unleashing the design potential of copper, allowing this fundamental material to continuously drive technological innovation across various industries in smarter and more efficient forms.
