{"id":164213,"date":"2021-12-29T11:25:26","date_gmt":"2021-12-29T03:25:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/?post_type=kb&p=164213"},"modified":"2022-07-05T15:06:53","modified_gmt":"2022-07-05T07:06:53","slug":"3d-printer-metal-filament-best-brands-of-2021","status":"publish","type":"kb","link":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/3d-printer-metal-filament-best-brands-of-2021","title":{"rendered":"3D Printer Metal Filament: Best Brands of 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

Learn about 3D printer metal filament before checking out our top picks for the best brands and products available right now.<\/p>\n

Accurately 3D printing an object in pure metal<\/a>\u00a0is a fascinating concept. Sadly, it\u2019s only really possible with a proper metal 3D printer, which is an\u00a0incredibly expensive prospect<\/a>. Basically, you\u2019re looking at a minimum investment of $50,000 \u2013 more often than not in the neighborhood of $100,000 and up. Furthermore, you\u2019ll need special materials to print with and a very expensive furnace to \u201cfinalize\u201d prints.<\/p>\n

For most of us, the more practical way to benefit from metal 3D printing will be to use a service like FacFox<\/a>. Requesting a particular finish is easy and you\u2019re sure to get a professional quality model delivered right to your door.<\/p>\n

All of that said, if you\u2019re looking for something\u00a0similar<\/em>\u00a0to \u2013 but not completely \u2013 metal, there\u2019s a third option: metal filaments.<\/p>\n

What Are Metal Filaments?<\/h3>\n
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These lion figurines are printed with Formfutura’s MetalFil Classic Copper (Source: Formfutura)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Metal 3D printing filament is basically normal filament with some amount of metal added. That means it can be used with a regular\u00a0desktop FDM printer<\/a>\u00a0(but perhaps with a\u00a0special nozzle<\/a>). Metal filaments come in a variety of materials, ranging from copper and bronze to iron and stainless steel.<\/p>\n

Metal filament prints can feel more solid and look similar to cast metal.\u00a0Post-processing metal prints<\/a>, for example polishing or \u201crusting\u201d, can also give a variety of effects.<\/p>\n

Words of Warning<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s important to note that, if you want a filament with actual metal in it, you\u2019ll need to look for the word \u201ccomposite\u201d or \u201cmetal fill\u201d. Beware of filaments with only \u201cmetal\u201d in the name, as this might simply indicate a metallic color or shine. For example, Amolen\u2019s\u00a0Multicolor Silk Metal Rainbow<\/a>\u00a0is meant to exhibit a \u201cmetallic color.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also know that, though a manufacturer may list the percentage of metal that\u2019s in its filament, this could be by either\u00a0volume<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0weight<\/em>, making comparing materials difficult; the latter tends to look more impressive, as metal is much denser than plastic. Illustrating this is Formfutura\u2019s Classic Copper filament, which is claimed to have \u201c80% copper filling.\u201d Given the stated density of 3 g\/cm3<\/sup>\u00a0(lying between PLA\u2019s 1.25 g\/cm3<\/sup>\u00a0and copper\u2019s 8.96 g\/cm3<\/sup>), this is clearly a by-weight percentage, with the by-volume percentage lying closer to 30%.<\/p>\n

All things considered, there are a variety of companies providing a range of 3D printer metal filaments with different types and amounts of embedded metal. We\u2019ve organized the majority of our list by percentage of metal by volume, with the least amount appearing first. Among them are two special options, where sintering prints can yield nearly 100% metal parts. Those whose percentages we couldn\u2019t confirm appear at the bottom.<\/p>\n

Before we get to the best filaments, though, let\u2019s quickly go over metal filament pricing as well as a few tips.<\/p>\n

Costs<\/h3>\n
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Don’t be fooled by appearances \u2013 more metal usually means more money (Source: Killer Robotics)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As mentioned before, the cost difference between using metal filament and using an\u00a0industrial metal printer<\/a>\u00a0is astronomical.\u00a0However, compared to\u00a0standard filaments<\/a>, metal filament can cost at least twice as much depending on the amount and type of fill. It\u2019s still certainly within the realm of consumer printing, but pricing can be deceiving, so be sure to pay attention to the amount you\u2019re getting.<\/p>\n

For starters, standard\u00a0PLA<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0ABS<\/a>\u00a0filament usually comes in 1-kg spools. With the corresponding prices in mind, metal filament can sometimes look like a deal, but often prices are for only 500 grams or less. If you want to try different materials, you can look for low-cost \u201csamples\u201d (such as 100-gram coils). That way, you can try something out before committing to a whole roll.<\/p>\n

On a similar note, any metal will add to the density of its filament. This means that, compared to PLA or ABS, a spool of metal filament may be shorter than you\u2019d expect for the same weight. If possible, always check length specifications when purchasing.<\/p>\n

Printing Tips<\/h3>\n
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Metal filaments can require some picky settings (Source: Formfutura)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Before you start printing with metal filament, it\u2019s important to consider the following:<\/p>\n