Addireen’s green-laser Additive Manufacturing technology achieves 99.9% dense pure copper parts
January 9, 2025
A joint research team from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Shanghai University has published a paper focusing on the use of green lasers in processing copper via Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) Additive Manufacturing in the Journal of Materials Processing Technology.
‘Enhanced electrical and mechanical properties of additively manufactured pure copper with green laser’ examines the key characteristics of copper components and aims to provide a framework for laser Additive Manufacturing of highly reflective metal materials. Moreover, the study demonstrates the application capabilities of green lasers in metal Additive Manufacturing machines (the research is based on the use of an XH-M160G AM machine from Addireen).
The XH-M160G features a 500 W single-mode continuous fibre laser with an average spot diameter of 30μm; the absorption rate of copper powder is approximately 85%. In this research, the team fixed the hatch spacing and adjusted parameters such as scanning speed and laser powder to observe variations in the microstructure, mechanical properties, and electrical performance of the experimental samples under different conditions.
The high utilisation rate of green laser energy also significantly enhances printing efficiency while minimising the amount of laser energy reflected by the materials. This reduction in reflection effectively mitigates spattering during the melting process, ensuring stable and continuous operation of the equipment. Furthermore, the precise control over thermal input afforded by green laser enables consistent microstructures and superior part quality.
The researchers found that optimising the parameters of green lasers in a PBF-LB machine can result in copper components with over 99.9% relative density and 98% international annealed copper standard (IACS) electrical conductivity.
The combination of comprehensive experiments and finite element modelling also reveals how defect morphology impacts electrical conductivity. The paper’s authors have stated that this work contributes to the broader application of AM technologies, especially for high-reflectivity metals, and provides insights into how these defects affect conductivity and should be controlled during the AM process.
Green-laser metal Additive Manufacturing machines
Green-laser powder bed fusion technology not only enables the efficient Additive Manufacturing of pure copper and copper-based materials, but also provides novel solutions for the AM of other highly reflective and refractory metals such as gold, platinum, silver, tantalum, and tungsten.
Addireen’s range of green-laser powder bed fusion AM machines includes the M100G, M160G, and M350G. These machines have either 500, 700 or 1000 W high-power single-mode continuous green fibre lasers developed in-house, and are said to offer significant advantages, such as high beam quality, stability, and a finer laser spot.
Addireen states that the pure copper components produced by these machines achieve a thermal conductivity of up to 390W/m·K. As an example, additively manufactured liquid heat sink and heat exchanger components can withstand water pressures greater than 8 MPa at a wall thickness of 0.5 mm (in comparison, the additively manufactured TPMS structure has a minimum wall thickness of 0.08 mm.)
The company reports that its machines have been adopted in various industries, including aerospace, new energy vehicles, induction heating coils, and high-speed communication devices.
‘Enhanced electrical and mechanical properties of additively manufactured pure copper with green laser’ is available here.
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