Virtual Foundry Copper Filamet™ — 1.75 mm, 0.5 kg

Print real copper metal parts on the FDM printer you already own. After a single kiln firing, your print becomes 86–90.7% pure copper — with the weight, conductivity and finish of cast metal.

Start with the complete kit

You get the filament, crucible and refractory ballast in one bundle — everything you need to print and sinter your first part (kiln sold separately).

Just grab this spool

If you already have a hardened steel nozzle, a sintering kiln rated to 970°C and a crucible, this 0.5 kg spool is all you need to add copper to your workflow.

Add the TVF FireX Kiln

Standard ovens cannot reach sintering temperature. The FireX is purpose-built for TVF metal filaments and reaches the temps copper, bronze and steel need.

Print

Print your part on any FDM printer with a hardened steel nozzle. Slower speeds (around 30 mm/s) build a stronger green part with better layer adhesion.

Pack

Nest the green part in refractory ballast (sintering carbon or alumina powder) inside a stainless steel crucible. The ballast supports the part as the binder burns off.

Sinter

Fire the crucible in a kiln up to ~970°C. Most of this is unattended ramp, hold and cool-down time. Binder burns off and the copper particles fuse into solid metal.

Finish

Once cool, brush off the ballast and clean your part. Expect roughly 15–20% linear shrinkage — design for it by scaling your model up ~120–125% in the slicer.

Plastic binder + ~88% copper powder, on a 0.5 kg spool

86–90.7% pure copper after sintering — real weight, conductivity and finish

No proprietary hardware

Works on any open-architecture FDM printer with a hardened steel nozzle. No locked-down systems, no vendor lock-in.

Genuine metal output

Finished parts are 86–90.7% copper with real thermal and electrical conductivity, plus the weight and feel of cast copper.

Lowest TVF sinter temperature

Copper sinters at ~970°C — well within range of standard hobbyist pottery kilns and the TVF FireX.

Prints like PLA

Familiar print profile, low temperatures, no enclosure needed. The easiest entry point into metal FDM.

Beginner-friendly

Forgiving green-part handling and a wide print-temperature window make this the recommended starting material for first-time metal printers.

USA-made, fully supported

Manufactured in South Central Wisconsin by The Virtual Foundry. Direct technical support from the team that makes the material.

Bambu Lab X1 / P1 / A1

Use the Generic PLA profile as a base. Reduce print speed to 30 mm/s. Hardened steel nozzle is essential.

Prusa MK3S / MK4

Use the standard PLA profile and reduce print speed to ~30 mm/s. Direct drive handles this material very comfortably.

Creality Ender 3 / K1

Direct drive setups are preferred. Bowden works with careful retraction tuning to avoid breakage at the extruder.

Printing tips

• Route filament straight from spool to extruder — minimise curl and snap risk
• Use a Filawarmer if filament feels stiff or brittle from spool memory
• Increase first layer width and slow first layer speed for solid adhesion
• Scale your model up 120–125% in the slicer to compensate for sinter shrinkage
• Compatible with both direct drive and Bowden setups

Common applications

• Induction coils and electrical conductors
• Antimicrobial surfaces, handles and door pulls
• Thermal management components and heat sinks
• Functional prototypes and short-run production parts
• Custom jewellery and decorative metalwork
• Educational and research builds

Copper Print & Sinter Kit (1.75 mm)

The complete starter bundle — filament, crucible and ballast in one purchase. The fastest path to your first sintered copper part.

TVF FireX Sintering Kiln

Purpose-built kiln for TVF metal filaments. Reaches the temperatures needed for copper, bronze and steel sintering.

Trusted Printers List

The official TVF list of FDM printers verified to print metal filaments reliably. Check whether your machine is tested before you buy — or use it to choose your next printer with metal printing in mind.

The Printing Process

The complete TVF printing handbook — profile setup, slicer settings, troubleshooting print defects and step-by-step technique tips specific to metal-loaded filaments. Recommended reading before your first print.

Debinding & Sintering

The full kiln workflow: ramp schedules, hold times, cool-down profiles and ballast packing techniques. This is the single most important resource for getting a successful first sinter.

SDS & TDS Documents

Safety Data Sheets and Technical Data Sheets for Copper Filamet™ and the rest of the TVF metal range. Required reading for workplace safety, education, and engineering compliance.

Research Papers & Whitepapers

Independent and TVF-published research on the mechanical, thermal and electrical performance of sintered Filamet™ parts. Useful for engineers, educators and researchers validating the material for their use case.

TVF YouTube Channel

The Filamet Focus video series — printing demos, sintering walkthroughs and customer builds. The fastest way to see the full workflow before you commit to it.