Deutsch
English
Italiano
Metals for 3D Printing and Manufacturing
Metals are among the most important materials in industry: they combine strength and hardness with resistance to weathering and many chemicals. On the PROTIQ Marketplace, you will find metals for selective laser melting (SLM) – from stainless steel, tool steel and aluminum to copper and brass, titanium, Inconel and the zinc alloy Zamak 5. You can also request metal parts made by CNC machining or casting from us.
On this page, you will learn how the most important metals differ, what they are suitable for and which variants are available for 3D printing.
Already know which material you need?
Then simply upload your finished data here. All files are checked automatically, and you instantly see prices from different manufacturers.
Order parts“In practice, material selection in the metals sector can usually be narrowed down quickly based on the primary requirements of the component: steel for strength and versatility, aluminum for lightweight design, and copper for electrical or thermal conductivity. However, it becomes particularly interesting where standard solutions reach their efficiency limits – such as in complex geometries, smaller production runs, or increased demands on haptics and appearance. In these cases, materials like brass and zinc alloys such as Zamak demonstrate their strengths, as they can be processed both precisely and economically. Taking these correlations into account at an early stage not only leads to a technically suitable choice, but also to a significantly more efficient material decision.”
Tobias Alf, PROTIQ GmbH
Which metals are used in manufacturing?
The choice of metal usually depends on the main requirement of the part: steel for strength and versatility, aluminum and titanium for lightweight design, copper for electrical and thermal conductivity. Brass and the zinc alloy Zamak 5 show their strengths in appearance, feel and good processability.
| Metal | Density in g/cm³ | Strengths | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steel and stainless steel | approx. 7.7 | High strength and hardness, highly adjustable through alloying and heat treatment; stainless steel is rust-resistant depending on its chromium content | Functional and structural parts, tool inserts, knives |
| Aluminum | approx. 2.7 | Light metal with a good strength-to-weight ratio, good electrical and thermal conductivity | Lightweight parts, housings, heat exchangers and heat sinks |
| Copper | 8.9 | Highest electrical conductivity after silver (up to 58 MS/m), very high thermal conductivity | Inductors, busbars, heat exchangers, heat sinks |
| Brass | approx. 8.2–8.6 | Copper-zinc alloy with a golden-yellow color, good machinability, good sliding properties and corrosion resistance | Plain bearings, gears, guides, decorative and jewelry parts |
| Zinc (Zamak 5) | approx. 6.2–6.4 | High dimensional accuracy, good mechanical properties, high-quality look and feel with a surface coating | Prototypes and small batches of die-cast parts |
| Titanium | approx. 4.4 | Very high strength at low density, good corrosion resistance | Highly stressed lightweight components |
The density values are typical guide values and depend on the specific alloy. You can find exact values in the manufacturers' datasheets.
↑ Back to overviewMetal
Steel and stainless steel
Steels are made by alloying iron with carbon and other elements. Strength, hardness and formability can be adjusted specifically through the alloying elements and heat treatment – which is why there is a suitable steel for almost every application.
Steels with a particularly high degree of purity are classed as high-grade steels. If the alloy also contains at least 10.5% chromium, it becomes stainless, i.e. rust-resistant; the chromium content determines its corrosion resistance. Tool steels are characterized by very good mechanical properties, high wear resistance, toughness and hardness.
Steels are traditionally processed by forging or machining, for example CNC milling. Steel parts can also be manufactured additively.
The metals available for selective laser melting on the PROTIQ Marketplace include:
- Stainless steel – 1.4404, 1.4540, 1.4542, 1.4125 (440C) and CX
- Tool steel – 1.2709 and 1.2343 (H11)
- Quenched and tempered steel – 1.7225
Metal
Copper
Copper is characterized above all by its very high electrical and thermal conductivity: at up to 58 MS/m, it is the best conductor after silver. Together with its good formability, this makes it one of the most important materials for electrical engineering and for parts with heating or cooling functions.
Copper has been used for thousands of years and is considered a semi-precious metal. In addition to pure copper, which achieves the highest conductivity values, copper alloys are used depending on the application: they improve strength and stiffness, for example, but conductivity decreases.
Copper is usually used as cable, sheet metal blanks, bent extruded profiles or machined solid material. Additively manufactured copper is particularly suitable for inductors, busbars, heat exchangers and heat sinks with integrated channels.
The metals available for selective laser melting on the PROTIQ Marketplace include:
- Pure copper – up to 57 MS/m (≈ 100% IACS), also available as low-O₂
- RS copper
- CuCr1Zr – copper-chromium-zirconium for mechanically resilient parts
Light metal
Aluminum
Aluminum is a light metal: with a density of about one third of that of steel, it is particularly interesting for lightweight design. It also offers good electrical and thermal conductivity and good corrosion resistance.
Depending on the application and manufacturing process, there are numerous aluminum alloys with different mechanical properties; depending on their composition, they can also be hardened by heat treatment. Casting alloys are designed for high-volume aluminum die casting, while wrought alloys are intended for forming and machining processes such as CNC turning and milling – they achieve very high strengths and are used, for example, for extruded profiles and highly stressed parts.
In addition to conventional processes, aluminum is very well suited to additive manufacturing, especially selective laser melting.
↑ Back to overview
Zinc alloy
Zinc and Zamak 5
The zinc alloy Zamak 5 is widely processed by zinc die casting. Zinc castings offer high dimensional accuracy, good mechanical properties and – with a surface coating – a high-quality appearance. For prototypes and small batches, however, die casting is usually not economical; additive manufacturing is an alternative here.
In its pure form, zinc is mainly used for the corrosion protection of iron and steel materials and in battery production. Zamak refers to a family of zinc alloys with additions of aluminum, magnesium and copper. Together with aluminum die casting, many everyday metal parts are produced this way in very large quantities. Compared to plastic parts, zinc parts offer a higher-quality look and feel and better mechanical properties.
Because 3D printing requires no tooling, parts made of Zamak 5 can be produced before the planned high-volume production – for prototypes, small batches and spare parts.
↑ Back to overview
Copper alloy
Brass
Brass is a copper alloy with zinc. Its characteristic features are the golden-yellow color, good machinability, high corrosion resistance and good thermal conductivity. In combination with steel parts, brass is suitable for plain bearings, gears and guides thanks to its good sliding properties.
As the zinc content decreases, the golden-yellow color changes to a reddish gold, and the properties of copper become more pronounced. Thanks to its color, brass is also suitable for decorative and jewelry applications – individual, often very complex parts that are well suited to additive manufacturing.
↑ Back to overview
More metals
Which other metals are available for 3D printing?
In addition to steel, copper, aluminum, zinc and brass, further metals for special requirements are available for selective laser melting – such as titanium for lightweight design, nickel-based alloys for high temperatures or Invar 36 for very low thermal expansion.
- Titanium – Gr. 5 (3.7164) and Gr. 23 ELI (3.7165)
- Inconel – IN625 and IN718
- Cobalt-chromium – CoCrW
- Iron-nickel alloy – Invar 36
- Magnesium
Processes
Metal parts by 3D printing, CNC machining and casting
Metal parts can be produced additively by selective laser melting, by CNC machining or by casting. Depending on the part and material, you can select the process directly in the configurator or simply request your project from us – from single parts to series.
3D printing (SLM)
Selective laser melting builds metal parts layer by layer directly from 3D data – without tooling and with great design freedom, for example for internal channels or lightweight structures.
CNC machining
Turning and milling produce parts with high dimensional accuracy and a defined surface quality – for single parts and prototypes as well as for series.
Casting
Casting processes are an option for larger quantities. We are happy to clarify whether a casting process is suitable for your part as part of a project request.
Frequently asked questions about metals in manufacturing
Which metals can be 3D printed?
The metals available for selective laser melting (SLM) on the PROTIQ Marketplace include stainless steel, tool steel, quenched and tempered steel, aluminum (AlSi10Mg), copper, CuCr1Zr, brass, titanium, Inconel, cobalt-chromium, Invar 36, magnesium and the zinc alloy Zamak 5. All metals for SLM
Which metal is the lightest?
Of the metals mentioned, magnesium and aluminum have the lowest density; aluminum weighs about one third as much as steel. Titanium combines low density with very high strength.
Which metal conducts electricity best?
Copper has the highest electrical conductivity after silver. In 3D printing at PROTIQ, pure copper achieves up to 57 MS/m (≈ 100% IACS), making it suitable for inductors and busbars, for example.
What is the difference between steel and stainless steel?
Stainless steel contains at least 10.5% chromium, which makes it rust-resistant. The higher the chromium content, the better the corrosion resistance. Like other high-grade steels, stainless steels also have a particularly high degree of purity.
Which steel is suitable for tool making?
Tool steels such as 1.2709 and 1.2343 (H11) are particularly suitable for tool making, as they offer high hardness, wear resistance and temperature resistance.
Can Zamak be 3D printed?
Yes. The zinc alloy Zamak 5 can be processed by selective laser melting. This is particularly suitable for prototypes, small batches and spare parts for which a die-casting tool is not worthwhile.
↑ Back to overview
