Titanium 64-5 Filamet™ Pellets

Titanium 64-5 Filamet™ pellets are small cylinders composed of PLA with Titanium 64-5 metal filler. These pellets are composed of 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.

Titanium 64 or titanium grade 5 is a titanium alloy with 6% aluminium and 4% vanadium. It is the most widely used titanium alloy due to its high mechanical strength, low weight and high corrosion resistance. It is significantly stronger than pure titanium and can be heat treated and welded, which also facilitates sintering.

This material also has a high temperature resistance, withstanding working temperatures of up to 400 ºC in continuous operation and its main application is in structural elements for the aeronautical sector, as well as in the manufacture of medical implants.

In addition to the intrinsic properties of Titanium 64-5, The Virtual Foundry's (TVF) Titanium 64-5 Filamet™ pellets are perfect for 3D printing, achieving high print quality, and stand out from other metal-filled materials by allowing the user to obtain fully metallic parts after a sintering process.

Image 1. Gear made from 316L stainless steel without sintering. Source: The Virtual Foundry.

During the sintering process of 3D printed parts with these pellets, the PLA is removed, resulting in all-metal parts with real metal properties, but with some porosity and a reduction in volume due to the loss of PLA.

Filamet™ 64-5 titanium 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™ 64-5 titanium 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™ 64-5 titanium pellets to manufacture 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.