Advancement on the small-scale fabrication of pure copper parts via material extrusion AM: process performance and quality mapping

The potential of copper 3D printing is being explored in a growing number of applications, many of which involve small geometric products and intricate features. Concerning the pure copper AM printability using material extrusion (MEX) (also known as metal extrusion), it stands out as one of the most promising technologies due to the effective coupling of simple 3D printing by extrusion and the subsequent debinding and sintering processes. Despite its user-friendly nature and cost-effectiveness, this method presents limitations especially when dealing with small specimens and features, where geometrical properties and mechanical strength have not been fully explored in the literature. This study investigates the capabilities of piston-fed MEX technology when millimetric parts/features have to be produced in pure copper. The findings indicate that high-dimensional accuracy can be achieved, providing static material resistance in tensile testing that mirrors that of larger parts. In this...