A Look at the Properties of 3D Printed Tungsten

Tungsten is a dense, robust metal that has a number of valuable applications, particularly in the chemical industry thanks to its corrosion resistance. Its hardness and extremely high melting point, however, have made it a difficult material to 3D print. 

In a paper entitled “Effect of processing parameters on the densification, microstructure and crystallographic texture during the laser powder bed fusion of pure tungsten,” a group of researchers addresses those challenges.

Depending on the process conditions, the bulk density and optically determined densities of the tungsten ranged from 94 to 98%, but the parts showed micro cracks and defects due to micro- and macro-scale residual stress.

Two types of tungsten specimens were 3D printed, and were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy. Although the parts were prone to cracking, the researchers determined that the density and quality of the specimens produced in the 3D printing process were sufficiently high for use in applications such as medical radiation shielding and nuclear imaging, and in other plasma facing environments. They also concluded that the parameters for laser powder bed fusion could be tailored to fabricate tungsten parts with relatively high densities.

3D printing tungsten allows for new applications for the material, as it can produce parts with high levels of accuracy and complexity. Tungsten 3D printing has been studied before by other researchers, and 3D printed tungsten components have even been commercialized. Despite its challenges, tungsten has shown itself to be a valuable 3D printing material that many experts are excited about for its heat resistant properties in particular.

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