Engineersfr om Rosatom’s Fuel Division (Additive Technologies business unit), have successfully developed the manufacturing of components from copper and its alloys using RusMelt industrial 3D printers.
Rosatom’s serial 3D printers RusMelt, available in various sizes and based on selective laser melting technology (SLM), have traditionally used metal powder compositions of stainless steel, heat‑resistant materials or titanium. Copper 3D printing has remained limited for a long time due to the material’s physical properties. However, engineers at Rosatom’s Moscow Additive Technologies Center have identified and refined layer‑by‑layer selective laser melting parameters for copper powder that ensure the required product quality, minimal porosity, and high thermal conductivity.
“Copper 3D printing expands the functional capabilities of RusMelt SLM printers, boosting their global competitiveness by entering new market segments, particularly in electrical engineering, energy, and electronics, wh ere the high electrical and thermal conductivity of copper components is in demand. For our customers, this means the ability to produce complex parts - such as heat exchangers, current‑carrying elements, and inductors - without the traditional constraints of casting and machining technologies. This translates into shorter production cycles, reduced material consumption, and greater flexibility to customize solutions for specific tasks,” said Ilya Kavelashvili, Director of the Additive Technologies business unit at Rosatom’s Fuel Division.
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Engineersfr om Rosatom’s Fuel Division (Additive Technologies business unit), have successfully developed the manufacturing of components from copper and its alloys using RusMelt industrial 3D printers.
Rosatom’s serial 3D printers RusMelt, available in various sizes and based on selective laser melting technology (SLM), have traditionally used metal powder compositions of stainless steel, heat‑resistant materials or titanium. Copper 3D printing has remained limited for a long time due to the material’s physical properties. However, engineers at Rosatom’s Moscow Additive Technologies Center have identified and refined layer‑by‑layer selective laser melting parameters for copper powder that ensure the required product quality, minimal porosity, and high thermal conductivity.
“Copper 3D printing expands the functional capabilities of RusMelt SLM printers, boosting their global competitiveness by entering new market segments, particularly in electrical engineering, energy, and electronics, wh ere the high electrical and thermal conductivity of copper components is in demand. For our customers, this means the ability to produce complex parts - such as heat exchangers, current‑carrying elements, and inductors - without the traditional constraints of casting and machining technologies. This translates into shorter production cycles, reduced material consumption, and greater flexibility to customize solutions for specific tasks,” said Ilya Kavelashvili, Director of the Additive Technologies business unit at Rosatom’s Fuel Division.