Aluminium 6061 Filamet™ pellets

Filamet™ 6061 aluminium pellets are small cylinders composed of PLA with 6061 aluminium filler. These pellets are composed of more than 65% 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.

Aluminium is a non-ferrous metal that is abundant in nature, making up 8% of the earth's crust. It has a number of remarkable properties: high corrosion resistance, low density, good electrical and heat conductivity, easy to machine, low cost and high mechanical strength in its alloyed forms. All these properties have made aluminium one of the most widely used metals in industry, second only to steel. Its applications are so diverse that it could be said that all the products manufactured and used by industry employ aluminium: mirrors, cans, tetrabriks, electrical wiring, heat diffusers, cryogenic containers, etc. One of its most common alloys is Al6061, an aluminium hardened mainly with magnesium and silicon, which shows good weldability, good mechanical properties with a very low density. This aluminium alloy is often used for the construction of all types of vehicles (aircraft, yachts, cars and high-performance bicycles), food packaging and all types of objects that require a good balance between strength and weight.

In addition to the intrinsic properties of 6061 aluminium, The Virtual Foundry's (TVF) 6061 Filamet™ aluminium pellets 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 fully metallic parts with the real properties of metal, but with some porosity and a reduction in volume due to the loss of PLA.

Filamet™ 6061 aluminium pellets are free of exposed metal particles and volatile solvents that may be released during the 3D printing process, making them 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™ 6061 Filamet™ aluminium 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™ 6061 aluminium 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.