316L stainless steel Filamet™ pellets

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 316L stainless steel PLA 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 PLA 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 obtaining better results during 3D printing.

Whether using a filament extruder such as Filastruder or a direct pellet extruder, parts 3D printed with 316L stainless steel pellets must undergo a sintering process to achieve all-metal parts:

Sintering process

Necessary materials:

• Metallurgical furnace
• Refractory crucible
• Refractory powder
• Sinter carbon

STEP 1: Placing the piece

1. Fill the crucible with refractory powder leaving 40 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. Fill the free 40 mm on the surface of the crucible with sinter carbon.
4. Place the crucible in the furnace.

STEP 2: Thermal debind

1. Heat up to 204 ºC.
2. Keep at 204 ºC for 2 hours.
3. Heat up to 427 ºC at a speed of 1.86 ºC/min.
4. Keep at 427 ºC for 2 hours.

STEP 3: Sintering

1. Heat up to 593 ºC at a speed of 1.86 ºC/min.
2. Keep at 593 ºC for 2 hours.
3. Heat up to 1260 ºC at a speed of 5.5 ºC/min
4. Keep at 1260°C for 4 hours*.

STEP 4: Cooling

1. Cooling up to 593 ºC at a speed of 0.18 ºC/min
2. Allow to cool to room temperature.

* Recommended time for a cube 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™ 316L stainless steel 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.

* The typical values detailed in this table should be considered as a reference. For more information you should consult the technical data sheet of the product.