Markforged, the manufacturer of metal and carbon fiber 3D printers, announced the premiere of a new, groundbranding solutions in form of 3D printing of pure Copper on its Markforged Metal X system. At the moment it is the only reliable, affordable, and safe way to make copper parts using 3D printing technology with high electrical and thermal conductivity.
The new material is available for Markforged’s patented platform that 3D prints metal in form of a rod. Copper is the latest metal to join the lineup of materials, which also includes aerospace superalloys like Inconel 625, 17-4 PH Stainless Steel, H13 Tool Steel, D2 Tool Steel, and A2 Tool Steel. The copper material for the Metal X offers high thermal and electrical conductivity, including thermal conductivity greater than 350 W/mK and 84% IACS electrical conductivity. The material will also enable manufacturers to reap the properties of copper while also exploiting the design freedom of additive manufacturing.
Greg Mark, Markforged CEO and Founder comments on new material release:
Copper powers our world. It’s everywhere. It builds our cars, enables phones, and keeps electrical equipment running. Copper has traditionally been an expensive and challenging material to machine and incompatible for 3D printing in a pure form with other techniques. Now, we’ve made it easier and cheaper to produce. Markforged 3D printed Copper will be a game-changer for the automotive and electronics industries, and it will open the door to innovation across many more.
Markforged believes that its new material will be widely used in the automotive industry, where the demand for copper components is very high. With systems across six continents, the Metal X is used to deliver on applications such as functional prototypes, tooling and fixtures, and end-use production parts to help customers reduce manufacturing costs and improve supply chain efficiency.
Source: www.markforged.com