Aluminum 6061 Filamet™
Aluminum 3D printing, utilizing fused filament fabrication (FFF), represents a cutting-edge advancement that melds age-old metalworking techniques with state-of-the-art additive manufacturing. Aluminum alloys, such as 6061, used in the 3D printing process, provide high-strength, high-performance parts with electrical conductivity while remaining low weight, which is crucial for the aerospace industry and automotive engine parts manufacturing where weight reduction can enhance fuel efficiency and performance.
Unlike traditional aluminum casting methods, which entail creating molds and pouring molten aluminum to form shapes, metal 3d printing is a modern technique that employs aluminum filaments to construct printed parts layer by layer from a digital file. With these advancements in 3D printing technology, artisans and manufacturers can efficiently produce detailed aluminum parts, sculptures, and miniatures, retaining the essential properties of aluminum while enjoying the enhanced flexibility and innovation brought by additive manufacturing.
Aluminum 6061 Filamet™ is available as 1.75mm and 2.85mm filament and as pellets.
Specs: This filament comes in 0.25kg and 0.5kg spools and 1kg bags of pellets. It contains 60.0% - 65.0% metal and has a density of 1.5g/cc-1.54g/cc.
High Compatibility: This Filamet™ enables any open-architecture Fused Filament Fabrication 3D printer to produce metal objects. Even works in 3D printing pens!
Easy to Print: All you need is an open architecture 3D printer, a 0.6mm hardened steel nozzle, and a model to print. Print like regular PLA. Place your spool so that the filament coming off is going straight into the extruder. The flow rate in your slicer may need to be adjusted up to 135%. Little to no warping occurs during printing.
Advanced Properties: Filamet™ is less hygroscopic than regular PLA. Filament dryers have adverse effects on Filamet™. Spools should not be dried.
Fully Sinterable Metal Filament: Once fired in a sintering furnace, the result is 100% metal. Sintering development is underway. Current information and updates can be found here, as well as in our Discord server here.
Special Qualities: Strong, lightweight, and corrosion resistant.
Used For: Partner Innovators have used this filament for light-weighting and research and development.
Eliminate tooling and machining costs for short run manufacturing, prototyping, and one-off metal part needs.
Note: All sales final except in cases of defective product.
Made In America
Other 3D Printing Materials
In addition to Aluminum 6061 filament, The Virtual Foundry also offers Bronze Filament, 17-4 Stainless Steel filament, and Copper filament that can be used just like PLA filament with most 3D printers.