Rosatom's 3D printers have been trained to print copper.

Rosatom's 3D printers can now print copper.

Specialists from the Additive Technologies business unit of Rosatom's Fuel Division have successfully mastered the production of copper and its alloys on RusMelt series industrial 3D printers.

Rosatom's mass-produced 3D printers of various sizes, using selective laser melting (SLM) technology, previously primarily used metal powder composites made of stainless steel, heat-resistant materials, or titanium. The use of copper in 3D printing has long been difficult due to its physical properties. However, engineers at Rosatom's Moscow-based Additive Technologies Center have been able to identify and refine layer-by-layer selective laser melting modes for copper powder that ensure the required product quality, minimal porosity, and high thermal conductivity.

Ilya Kavelashvili, Director of the Additive Technologies Business Unit at Rosatom's Fuel Division, noted: "The introduction of copper 3D printing expands the functionality of RusMelt SLM printers, enhancing their competitiveness in the global market by entering new segments—specifically, electrical engineering, energy, and electronics, where the high electrical and thermal conductivity of copper products is in demand. For end customers, this means the ability to manufacture complex components (e.g., heat exchangers, current-carrying elements, inductors) without the traditional limitations of casting and machining technologies, reducing production times, reducing material consumption, and providing the flexibility to customize for individual needs."

Due to its unique electrical and thermal conductivity, copper is widely used in electronics, aerospace, and automotive industries, as well as in the production of engineering components and medical equipment. Experts identify the following copper products that could potentially be 3D printed: heat exchangers for power electronics, semiconductors, and telecommunications equipment; engine and generator components; aerospace components (including combustion chambers and cooling systems); molds and tooling with conformal cooling channels; induction coils, conductive elements, electrodes, and others.

Rosatom's RusMelt line of industrial 3D printers uses selective laser melting (SLM) technology and includes three models—the RusMelt 150M, 300M, and 600M—that cover applications ranging from R&D and small-scale production to large-scale manufacturing. These printers are compatible with a wide range of metal powders, equipped with real-time quality control systems, and utilize Russian-made software and key components, ensuring import substitution and process traceability.

The models differ in their work area dimensions and functionality: the compact RusMelt 150M (build area Ø 150 x 200 mm) is economical and suitable for laboratories and medical applications, the mid-sized RusMelt 300M (300 x 300 x 450 mm) is designed for industrial applications (aerospace, energy, mechanical engineering), and the RusMelt 600M, with its large build area and mechanized unloading system, is designed for the serial production of large and complex parts.

Rosatom State Corporation was one of the first in Russia to develop domestic 3D printing equipment. The Additive Technologies business unit (within the Fuel Division) provides a comprehensive solution, from the development of 3D printers, components, printing materials, and software, service support, and personnel training, to the provision of 3D printing services and the creation of additive technology centers on a turnkey basis at the customer's site.

Rosatom integrates the entire additive manufacturing cycle and provides Russian manufacturing companies in strategic industries with innovative and reliable equipment, materials, and professional services for the implementation of additive manufacturing technologies. The company offers a comprehensive solution for implementing additive technologies: printing using three different technologies with metals, plastics, and sand, as well as 3D scanning of products, R&D, and process audits at enterprises to individually identify the optimal implementation path for additive technologies.