Bronze Filamet Pellets
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Bronze Filamet™ pellets

TVF-PELLETS-BRONZE-1KG
311.80 € 311.80 €
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Bronze Filamet™ pellets are small cylinders composed of bronze-filled PLA. These pellets are composed of more than 80% metal and the rest PLA.

PLA (polylactic acid) is a biodegradable plastic obtained from natural resources such as starch extracted from corn, sugar beet and wheat. PLA is one of the most widely used materials in 3D printing today because it does not give off harmful gases and is easy to print.

Bronze is a metallic alloy consisting of copper as the base element and 3-20% tin. Bronze was the first alloy of great importance discovered by mankind, used in all kinds of items: utensils, weapons, jewellery, sculptures and coins. Compared to steels, bronze develops a patina to prevent surface oxidation, a lower melting point, greater resistance to friction, greater brittleness but better conductivity of electricity and heat. Another advantage of bronze over steels is the absence of sparks when striking any surface, an indispensable property when manufacturing tools (hammers, mallets, spanners, etc.) that are used in explosive atmospheres or in the presence of flammable gases. Today, the applications of bronze are infinite: friction bushes, decorative elements, thermal diffusers, musical instruments, electrical and electronic components.

In addition to the intrinsic properties of bronze, Filamet™ bronze pellets from The Virtual Foundry (TVF) are perfect for 3D printing, achieving high print quality, and stand out from other metal-filled materials by allowing the user to obtain all-metal parts after a sintering process.

During the sintering process the PLA is removed, resulting in all-metal parts with the real properties of metal, but with some porosity and a reduction in volume due to the loss of PLA.

Filamet™ bronze pellets are free of exposed metal particles and volatile solvents that may be released during the 3D printing process, making it a safe material for 3D printing. In addition, due to their PLA content, they are very easy to process. There are several methods for using pellets in 3D printing:

  • Filamet™ bronze pellets can be used in the manufacture of filament for FDM 3D printers using Filastruder or any other filament extruder.
  • It is possible to use a pellet extruder directly.

When using Filamet™ Bronze Pellets to make filament with a filament extruder such as Filastruder or using a pellet extruder for direct 3D printing, it should be noted that the extrusion temperature must be regulated in relation to the extrusion speed used. For optimal results, it is recommended to read the product's usage tips.

General information
Material Metal + binder
Format 1 kg
Density 4.5 g/cm³
Amount of filler (volume) 66 %
Amount of filler (mass) 87 %

Thermal properties
Melting temperature - ºC
Softening temperature - ºC
Processing temperature 225 ºC
MFR Ratio -
Glass transition temperature - ºC
Heat deflexion temperature - ºC

Sintering properties
Container Refractory crucible
Refractory powder Al2O3
Maximum temperature 871 ºC

Specific properties
Transparency -
Radiation protection (without sintering) ✗

Other
HS Code 7403.22

Due to the high amount of metal particles, clogging may occur in nozzles with a diameter of 0.4 mm, so it is recommended to use nozzles with an outlet diameter of more than 0.5 mm.

As far as infill, the average recommended amount is 30-70 % but it largely depends on what kind of part the user wants to obtain and whether the part will be sintered or not. For more indepth information please watch this video:

Video 1: The recommended infill for the TVF materials. Source: TVF.

It is very important to store Filamet™ bronze pellets in an airtight bag to prevent them from absorbing moisture from the environment before use. If the pellets have moisture in them, the filament to be manufactured may contain small imperfections.

Once the filament has been manufactured using Filamet™ bronze pellets, it is also recommended to store the filament in a dry place or in an airtight bag. This prevents the filament from absorbing moisture, thus achieving better results during 3D printing.

Whether using a filament extruder such as Filastruder or a direct pellet extruder, parts 3D printed with bronze pellets must undergo a sintering process to achieve fully metallic parts:

Sintering process

Necessary materials:

  • Metallurgical furnace.
  • Refractory crucible
  • Refractory powder
  • Sinter coal

STEP 1: Placing the piece

  1. Fill the crucible with refractory powder leaving 25 mm free on the surface of the crucible.
  2. Immerse the piece in the refractory powder making sure to leave a gap of at least 15 mm between the surface of the piece and the walls and upper and lower parts of the crucible. The refractory powder must not be compacted.
  3. Place the crucible in the furnace.

STEP 2: Thermal Debind.

  1. Heat at a rate of 55.6 ºC/h until 482 ºC is reached.
  2. Maintain at 482 °C for 4 hours.
  3. Allow to cool to room temperature.
  4. Turn off the oven and unplug it to turn off the power.
  5. Remove the piece and the refractory powder from the crucible.

STEP 3: Preparation for sintering

  1. Fill the crucible with refractory powder leaving 25 mm free on the surface of the crucible.
  2. Immerse the workpiece in the refractory powder making sure to leave a clearance of at least 15 mm between the surface of the workpiece and the walls and top and bottom of the crucible. Do not compact the refractory powder.
  3. Cover the surface with 25 mm of sintering charcoal. If possible, place a lid on the crucible (without sealing it, it is used to preserve the sintering charcoal).
  4. Return the crucible to the furnace.

STEP 4: Sintering

  1. Heat at a rate of 111.1 ºC/h to 885 ºC.
  2. Hold at 885 ºC for 5 hours*.

STEP 5: Cooling

  1. 2 Allow to cool to room temperature.

* Recommended time for a bucket of up to 50mm. For larger pieces it will be necessary to increase the time.

Users who do not have a furnace with the necessary properties to sinter the parts printed with Filamet™ bronze and achieve the final properties of this metal, can contact us and we will assess their viability through our collaborators with the capacity to carry out the post-processing necessary to obtain the desired final result.

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