Copper Laser Fusion: AFU Overcomes Density Challenge

AFU, a French company specializing in machining, has been investing in metal 3D printing since 2014 to expand its capabilities and produce more complex components. Now equipped with three machines, it has worked for two years on copper parametrics, and more specifically on the copper-chromium-zirconium alloy (CuCrZr). The aim was to be able to 3D print copper parts with excellent density while preserving the intrinsic properties, all on a standard machine equipped with a 400W infrared laser. This challenge was successfully met, as the company has been able to manufacture dense parts (>99.5%), with a layer thickness of 40 microns, since summer 2024 – a first in France.

AFU has been helping industrial customers from a wide range of sectors to realize their projects for many years. In 2014, it turned to metal additive manufacturing, and more specifically to laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF / SLM), in order to offer more complex, bespoke parts or even prototypes in record time. The company offers a wide range of metals, including copper, renowned for its thermal and electrical properties. However, the latter are also the reasons why copper in powder form is more difficult to print than other metals such as titanium, aluminum or steel.

3D printed CuCrZr inductor

3D Printed CuCrZr Inductor

In recent years, the additive manufacturing market has seen numerous developments around copper, a metal particularly appreciated for its conductivity, ductility, wear resistance and corrosion resistance. It is therefore ideal for applications in aerospace and electronics, the manufacture of heat exchangers or inductors, and so on. However, copper is not an easy metal to print, especially when using a machine that employs an infrared laser, as is the case with most laser fusion solutions.