Physical and Geometrical Properties of Additively Manufactured Pure Copper Samples Using a Green Laser Source

So far, copper has been difficult to process via laser powder bed fusion due to low absorption with the frequently used laser systems in the infrared wavelength range. However, green laser systems have emerged recently and offer new opportunities in processing highly reflective materials like pure copper through higher absorptivity. In this study, pure copper powders from two suppliers were tested using the same machine parameter sets to investigate the influence of the powder properties on the material properties such as density, microstructure, and electrical conductivity. Samples of different wall thicknesses were investigated with the eddy-current method to analyze the influence of the sample thickness and surface quality on the measured electrical conductivity. The mechanical properties in three building directions were investigated and the geometrical accuracy of selected geometrical features was analyzed using a benchmark geometry. It could be shown that the generated parts have a relative density of above 99.95% and an electrical conductivity as high as 100% International Annealed Copper Standard (IACS) for both powders could be achieved. Furthermore, the negative influence of a rough surface on the measured eddy-current method was confirmed.