FCer WC-Ni - Colfeed4Print

The FCer WC-Ni filament from Colfeed4Print is a specialized 1.75 mm filament designed for advanced additive manufacturing applications. It features a high content of sinterable tungsten carbide (WC) and nickel (Ni) nanoparticles, with tungsten carbide making up 91 wt.% (85 vol.%) and nickel nanoparticles comprising 9 wt.% (15 vol.%). The tungsten carbide particles have an average size of 4.9 µm, while the nickel particles measure 0.3 µm. This high particle loading results in a filament density of 7.29 g/cm³, making it suitable for producing robust and durable parts.

Image 1: A cross-section of the FCer WC-Ni filament with nickel particles marked. Source: Colfeed4print.

Developed as part of the Vivaldi project, the FCer WC-Ni filament represents an innovative approach to recycling high-tech ceramic and metallic waste. By integrating recycled powder with PLA as the base material, this filament exemplifies efforts to enhance sustainability in additive manufacturing. The process leverages advanced recycling techniques to revalorize high-tech material powder, transforming it into a functional filament for creating high-performance components for sectors such as aerospace, chemical processing or specialized implants with exceptional performance characteristics.

Image 2: Dense outer scaffolds 3D printed with the FCer WC-Ni filament. Source: Colfeed4print.

To print with FCer WC-Ni, a printing temperature of 160-170 ºC is recommended, with a bed temperature set between 60-70 ºC and a printing speed of 5-20 mm/s. The nozzle should have a minimum diameter of 0.4 mm. After printing, the filament must undergo a 12-hour debinding process and then a sintering process in a vacuum/inert atmosphere furnace to achieve a fully dense and hardmetal piece or scaffold with custom shapes, and to ensure it is 100% inorganic. For optimal storage, keep the filament in a dry place, protected from direct sunlight, and maintain a storage temperature between 5-30 ºC. Detailed printing parameters are available in the filament's technical datasheet in the Attachments section.