Custom Filamet™ Materials

Turn any powder into printable filament. The Virtual Foundry's custom compounding service converts your proprietary or specialty material into FFF-compatible Filamet™, ready to print on any open-architecture FDM printer—achieving custom geometries and functional properties previously impossible without injection molding or expensive tooling.

Working with a proprietary alloy, specialty ceramic, or novel functional material? We'll compound it into Filamet™ so your team can prototype and produce parts directly from your own powder.

Material Requirements:

• Powder must be provided by the customer

• Particle size: ≤53 microns for 0.6mm nozzle; ≤105 microns for 0.8mm nozzle

• Quantity needed: approximately 2 liters of powder

• Powder must be inorganic (metals, ceramics, glasses, or similar)

Pricing and Lead Times:

Lead time: 3–6 weeks from receipt of your powder.

The Process:

• Step 1: Submit your material specifications to [email protected] for evaluation

• Step 2: TVF evaluates feasibility and confirms pricing

• Step 3: Ship your powder to TVF; compounding begins upon receipt

• Step 4: Receive your custom Filamet™ spool(s), ready to print

Development Projects:

If your material represents a novel or commercially significant opportunity, TVF may offer co-development arrangements. Contact us to discuss. Note: We reserve the right to independently develop and produce products that bear similarities to the product created in your project.

Applications:

• Proprietary alloy and specialty metal prototyping

• Novel ceramic and refractory material development

• Defense and aerospace material qualification programs

• University and national laboratory research programs

• Functional gradient and composite material research

• Reducing tooling and machining costs for low-volume production

• IP-protected material development requiring confidential processing

Working on a defense, aerospace, or research program requiring a proprietary material?
We supply national laboratories, defense primes, universities, and materials research programs with custom Filamet™ compounded from customer-supplied powders. Email [email protected] with your material specifications for feasibility evaluation and pricing. We respond within 1 business day.

Large orders may be subject to longer lead times. Contact us for more accurate lead times.

FAQ:

❓ What materials can be compounded?
✅ We can compound most inorganic powders — metals, ceramics, glasses, and similar materials — as long as particle size and quantity requirements are met. Organic or polymer-based powders are generally not compatible. Contact us with your material specs for a feasibility assessment.

❓ Do I need to supply the powder?
✅ Yes. In most cases customers supply their own powder. If you need TVF to source the powder, an additional procurement fee ($750 + cost of powder) applies.

❓ Will my formulation remain confidential?
✅ We treat all customer material specifications with discretion. However, note that TVF reserves the right to independently develop and produce products that bear similarities to the product created in your project.

❓ What do I receive at the end?
✅ You receive one or more spools of custom Filamet™ compounded from your powder, ready to print on any open-architecture FDM printer.