Copper in 3D printing

Copper is one of the most fascinating materials in additive manufacturing. Its exceptional electrical and thermal conductivity makes it the ideal material for components in which energy transfer or heat dissipation play a central role - from inductors and heatsinks to high-performance components in electrical engineering.

While copper is often limited in conventional manufacturing, 3D printing opens up completely new possibilities: Complex internal structures, integrated cooling channels and function-optimized designs can be implemented directly - without tools, with maximum precision and design freedom.

On the PROTIQ Marketplace, you will find various copper materials that are qualified for additive manufacturing. This allows you to choose exactly the material that suits your application - from classic copper-chromium-zirconium to high-purity copper for the most demanding applications.

Copper - a material with exceptional properties

Copper is one of the oldest and at the same time most advanced construction materials in industry. It is characterized by a unique combination of physical, chemical and mechanical properties that make it indispensable for numerous high-tech applications. Its outstanding electrical conductivity and excellent thermal conductivity are particularly noteworthy. These properties make copper the preferred material for electrical conductors, contact components, heat exchangers and cooling components.

In addition, copper is highly resistant to corrosion and can be recycled very easily, which also makes it a convincing choice from a sustainability perspective. Its antibacterial effect opens up additional fields of application in medical technology and in hygienically sensitive areas. Depending on the alloy, the strength, hardness and formability can be specifically adapted - from soft, highly conductive pure copper qualities to tough, hard materials such as copper-chromium-zirconium (CuCr1Zr), which offer high mechanical stability.

Copper combines efficiency, durability and versatility in a unique way and is considered a key material in modern energy, automotive and manufacturing technologies for good reason.

Copper in additive manufacturing

As versatile as copper is used in industry, its processing is just as demanding - especially when it comes to 3D printing. The metal's high reflectivity and thermal conductivity pose a technical challenge for many manufacturing processes. Nevertheless, additive manufacturing opens up completely new perspectives for making targeted use of the extraordinary properties of copper.

Modern laser melting processes (SLM) can now be used to produce complex copper components that would not be possible using conventional methods. Applications that focus on electrical or thermal conductivity are particularly exciting: heatsinks with integrated channels, compact heat exchangers, inductors with optimized geometries or contact components for high-current applications.

3D printing turns copper into a material that is not only efficient but also flexible in terms of design - ideal for prototypes, small series and highly specialized components where every geometry counts.

Copper 3D printing - a success story at PROTIQ

For a long time, copper was considered almost unmanageable in the SLM process: Its high reflection to infrared laser radiation and strong thermal conductivity prevented stable melting. In 2013, PROTIQ achieved a breakthrough with highly conductive RS copper - the first practical step towards making copper usable in additive manufacturing. Building on this, PROTIQ qualified pure copper and continuously developed powder qualities, scanning strategies and process parameters. Today, PROTIQ manufactures components from 100% copper with electrical conductivities of up to 58 MS/m (≈ 100% IACS) at a density of 8.9 g/cm³ - ideal for inductors, compact heat exchangers, high-current contacts and heatsinks with integrated channels. Another new addition to the portfolio is pure copper low-O₂ - a particularly pure material variant that is suitable for applications with the highest requirements in terms of conductivity and process environment.

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Various copper materials for additive manufacturing

On the PROTIQ Marketplace, you will find a wide range of qualified copper materials - from robust copper-chromium-zirconium (CuCr1Zr) for mechanically resilient components to particularly pure low-O₂ copper for applications with the highest demands on conductivity and material purity. The right copper material is therefore available for every application - precisely processed, highly conductive and optimally tailored to your requirements.

Pure copper

Pure copper is one of the most efficient materials when it comes to electrical and thermal conductivity. Its physical properties make it the ideal material for the additive manufacturing of components that conduct energy, dissipate heat or concentrate currents - such as inductors, heatsinks, contact components or heat exchangers.

Additively manufactured pure copper from PROTIQ achieves an electrical conductivity of up to 58 MS/m (≈ 100% IACS) and a thermal conductivity of around 400 W/(m-K). With a density of 8.9 g/cm³ and a tensile strength of around 220 MPa, it significantly outperforms conventional copper alloys used in 3D printing - both in terms of conductivity and efficiency.

Thanks to the continuous further development of SLM process parameters and powder qualities, PROTIQ now achieves an exceptional component density and surface quality. This enables copper components that meet the highest electrical and thermal requirements while benefiting from the design freedom of additive manufacturing.

The properties of pure copper

Thanks to its properties, pure copper is the ideal material for the production of electrical and thermal conductors.

• Electrical conductivity: up to 58 MS/m
• Thermal conductivity: 400 ± 15 W/(m*K)
• Density: 8.9 g/cm³
• Tensile strength: 220 ± 10 MPa

Pure copper low-O₂

Pure copper low-O₂ is a particularly pure variant of classic pure copper, which is characterized by a greatly reduced oxygen content. This material quality is characterized by exceptionally high electrical and thermal conductivity and enables use in particularly sensitive or power-intensive environments.

The almost complete absence of oxygen results in components with a particularly homogeneous structure and stable material properties. This makes pure copper low-O₂ ideal for applications in which energy transfer, heat dissipation or signal purity play a decisive role - for example in high-frequency technology, inductors, contact components or precision components with high material purity requirements.

With this material, PROTIQ is expanding its range of conductive metals with a variant that combines maximum performance and purity - for demanding applications where every conductivity counts.

Areas of application for copper components from 3D printing

Additively manufactured heat exchangers and heatsinks

Thanks to its excellent thermal conductivity, copper is ideal for use in heat exchangers and heatsinks. The absorbed heat is quickly distributed in the material and efficiently dissipated - a decisive advantage in thermally demanding applications.

Additive manufacturing also makes it possible to create geometries that further optimize heat transfer. Complex structures such as three-dimensionally curved cooling fins, grids or integrated channel systems increase the surface area in the transition area and thus improve heat transfer to the cooling medium. The result is compact, high-performance components with maximum efficiency and minimum installation space.

More about heat exchangers from 3D printing

Prototypes for electronic components made of copper

In the development of new products, one thing counts above all: speed. Particularly in the electronics sector, short iteration cycles and functional prototypes are decisive for market success. To ensure that electrical tests and thermal analyses are meaningful, the prototypes used must have the same material properties as the later series components.

For components that conduct high currents - such as busbars, contact components or connecting elements - copper with its high conductivity is therefore indispensable. Additive manufacturing with copper allows such functional prototypes to be produced quickly, precisely and without tools. Design changes can be implemented within a very short time, which significantly shortens development phases and allows product ideas to be validated more quickly.

3D-printed components for electric motors

The electrification of industry and mobility is one of the key issues of the future. In the rapidly growing e-mobility market, efficiency is the key to competitiveness - every percentage of efficiency can make a decisive difference.

Additively manufactured copper components make an important contribution here. By 3D printing functional components in the electric drive train, development times can be shortened and innovative designs can be realized that would be almost impossible to implement using conventional processes. Particularly in the prototype phase, 3D-printed hairpin windings, winding heads or conductor structures enable rapid testing and targeted design adjustments.

In addition, new manufacturing approaches, such as additive sheet metal packages, open up potential for a higher packing density and thus for improved energy efficiency of the entire electric motor. The additive processing of pure copper makes these developments possible - precisely, reproducibly and in series material.

Copper inductors from the 3D printer

Inductors for inductive heating - such as for surface layer hardening or soldering - must carry high currents and be cooled efficiently at the same time. This is why they usually consist of hollow copper coils through which cooling water flows. This design requires maximum precision, as even slight deviations can affect the heating quality.

The better the inductor is adapted to the shape of the workpiece to be heated and the higher its electrical conductivity, the more efficient the process. Conventional manufacturing processes quickly reach their geometric limits here.

Thanks to additive manufacturing, inductors can now be produced individually, precisely and with high conductivity from pure copper - with complex internal channels, optimized flow paths and a shape that is perfectly adapted to the workpiece geometry. This results in components that enable more uniform heating and can be manufactured within a few days.

Copper expertise from PROTIQ - quality, efficiency and precision

With the additive manufacturing of copper, PROTIQ creates tangible added value for your applications. Whether inductors, heat exchangers or complex prototypes - the components are not only precisely tailored to your project, but also impress with their ideal electrical and thermal conductivity. This allows you to maximize the efficiency of your processes in two ways: you optimize the energy or heat flow of your application and at the same time shorten the production time of your components.

As an experienced partner in the field of additive manufacturing, PROTIQ supports you from the idea to the finished component. On request, we can provide computer-aided optimization of your copper coils - simulations of inductive heating can be used to adapt the geometries specifically to your process requirements.

You also benefit from the possibilities of the PROTIQ Marketplace: simply create your individual copper components online, select the right material and receive your finished part in the shortest possible time. Thanks to years of experience, technical precision and continuous development, PROTIQ is your reliable partner for additively manufactured copper components - from the idea to series production.

Frequently asked questions about copper in 3D printing