Radiation Shielding Filament

Rapid 3DShield™ Tungsten — 1.75 mm, 0.5 kg

Print real tungsten radiation shielding on the FDM printer you already own — no sintering required. As-printed parts are 88–94% pure tungsten by weight, dense enough to attenuate gamma and X-ray radiation as a direct lead replacement.

88–94% Tungsten No Sintering Required Lead Replacement Gamma & X-ray Attenuation 7.8–9.2 g/cc
The Virtual Foundry Rapid 3DShield Tungsten 1.75mm 0.5kg spool

Tungsten radiation shielding, straight off the printer

Rapid 3DShield™ Tungsten is engineered specifically for radiation shielding applications — and unlike every other Filamet™ in the TVF range, it does its job as-printed. There is no kiln stage, no sinter shrinkage and no atmosphere control. Tungsten’s extreme density (5–7× denser than aluminum) makes it the gold standard for gamma and X-ray attenuation, and 3DShield delivers that density in a green print without the cost, regulation or weight of solid lead.

Print bespoke shielding geometries directly on a desktop FDM machine: form-fitted shields for radiopharmaceutical vials, custom hotspot patches for nuclear reactor cooling channels, collimator inserts for medical imaging, or shaped attenuators for radiography. Because the part stays at its printed size, you design the geometry you need, print it, and use it.

No sintering required. 3DShield Tungsten is intended to be used as-printed for radiation shielding. The polymer matrix locks tungsten particles into a dense, shapeable solid — no kiln, no controlled atmosphere, no shrinkage compensation. (Sintering is optional if you want pure metal end-use parts.)

How it works — print straight to shield

1

Design

Model your shield to the geometry you actually need — collimator, vial sleeve, hotspot patch — at exact printed dimensions. No shrinkage compensation needed.

2

Print

Print at 100% infill on any FDM machine equipped with a 0.6 mm hardened steel nozzle. A Filawarmer is strongly recommended due to filament weight.

3

Use

Deploy the printed part directly. The polymer matrix safely binds tungsten particles into a dense, durable shielding solid.

4

Sinter (optional)

If you need pure tungsten end-use parts, sinter in the FireX kiln. Otherwise skip the kiln — the as-printed part is already a working shield.

Why tungsten for radiation shielding

Lead-class density without lead

Tungsten is 70% denser than lead and far less toxic. 3DShield gives you a non-leaded shielding solution suitable for medical and laboratory environments.

Gamma & X-ray attenuation

Tungsten’s high atomic number (Z=74) makes it exceptionally effective at attenuating high-energy photons — ideal for gamma sources, X-ray beams and radiopharmaceuticals.

Custom geometries on demand

Print collimators, vial pigs, source pots and hotspot patches in exactly the shape needed. No tooling, no machining, no minimum orders.

No kiln, no shrinkage

Use the part straight from the build plate. What you print is what you get — no shrinkage compensation, no atmosphere control, no firing schedule.

Tested attenuation performance

Independent radiation shielding test results confirm 3DShield’s effectiveness across a range of source energies and geometries.

USA-made, fully supported

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

Printing tips

  • Direct drive extruder strongly preferred — this is the heaviest TVF filament
  • Slow and steady wins — high acceleration risks snap at the extruder
  • Filawarmer is essentially required for prints over a few hours
  • Print at 100% infill — voids defeat the shielding purpose

Common applications

  • Radiopharmaceutical vial pigs and syringe shields
  • Nuclear reactor cooling channel hotspot patches
  • Medical imaging collimators and beam shapers
  • Lead-replacement shielding in laboratory and clinical settings
  • Industrial radiography source containers
  • Research-grade gamma and X-ray attenuators

Specifications

Specification Details
Tungsten content 88.0–94.0% pure tungsten
Filament density 7.80–9.20 g/cc (5–7× denser than aluminum)
Diameter 1.75 mm (±0.05 mm)
Spool weight 0.5 kg
Sintering temperature Not required for shielding (optional pure-metal sintering only)
Required nozzle 0.6 mm hardened steel
As-printed dimensions No shrinkage compensation needed (use as-printed)
Hygroscopicity Less hygroscopic than PLA — do NOT dry
Origin Made in South Central Wisconsin, USA

Inside the spool

Rapid 3DShield tungsten pellets
Tungsten-loaded pellets — the raw material in every spool
3DShield radiation shielding test results
Independent attenuation test results

Frequently asked questions

Do I really not need to sinter this?

Correct. 3DShield Tungsten is engineered to be used as-printed for radiation shielding. The polymer matrix holds dense tungsten particles in place — the part attenuates radiation directly off the build plate. Sintering is only needed if you want pure metal end-use parts.

How does 3DShield compare to lead?

Tungsten is 70% denser than lead at the elemental level, and 3DShield is filled at 88–94% tungsten by weight. The shield can be made thinner than equivalent lead, and tungsten is non-toxic — far better suited to medical and laboratory environments.

What about neutron shielding?

Tungsten is excellent for gamma and X-ray attenuation but not optimal for neutrons. For neutron shielding, see 3DShield Boron Carbide — designed specifically for thermal neutron capture.

What printer can handle this filament?

Any FDM printer with a 0.6 mm hardened steel nozzle and a direct-drive extruder. Because 3DShield is the heaviest TVF filament, a Filawarmer is strongly recommended to reduce snap risk and avoid jams on long shielding prints.

Can I sinter it for a pure tungsten part?

Yes — if you want pure tungsten end-use parts you can debind and sinter in the FireX kiln. For shielding alone, this step is unnecessary and you save the kiln cost entirely.

What else you’ll need

Boron Carbide 3DShield

Pair with tungsten for combined gamma + neutron shielding. Boron carbide handles the neutrons tungsten cannot.

TVF FireX Sintering Kiln

Optional for 3DShield shielding use. Required only if you want to sinter to pure tungsten end-use parts.

Made in South Central Wisconsin, USA. World-class technical support provided for all TVF products.

(TVF-3DSHIELD-W-175)

SKU TVF-3DSHIELD-W-175
Brand The Virtual Foundry
Shipping Width 0.220m
Shipping Height 0.080m
Shipping Length 0.220m

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