Copper
Highly conductive metal with excellent thermal and electrical properties. Pure copper (C101, C110) is essential for heatsinks, busbars, and electrical contacts.
About Copper
Copper is the gold standard for thermal and electrical conductivity, with the highest conductivity of any engineering metal (401 W/m·K thermal, 59.6 MS/m electrical). These properties make it essential for heatsinks, busbars, electrical contacts, and RF/microwave components.
FabRapid machines oxygen-free high-conductivity (OFHC C101) and electrolytic tough pitch (ETP C110) copper for applications where maximum conductivity is required. We also work with tellurium copper (C145) when improved machinability is needed with only a minor conductivity reduction.
Copper is moderately challenging to machine — its softness and ductility can cause burring and gummy chip formation. Our machinists use sharp tooling with high positive rake angles and appropriate feeds to produce clean, burr-free copper parts.
Material Properties
Compatible Manufacturing Processes
Copper can be processed using these manufacturing methods.
Available Surface Finishes
Surface treatments compatible with Copper.
Common Applications
Design Guidelines for Copper
Specify C145 (tellurium copper) instead of C101 when machinability is more important than maximum conductivity
Minimum wall thickness: 0.5 mm — copper is soft and thin walls can deform during machining
Avoid sharp edges — copper burrs easily; specify chamfers or radiused edges
For soldering applications, specify bare copper without any surface coating in solder joint areas
Copper FAQ
C101 (OFHC) is oxygen-free high-conductivity copper with 99.99% purity and 101% IACS conductivity. C110 (ETP) is electrolytic tough pitch copper with 99.9% purity and 100% IACS conductivity. C101 is required for vacuum and hydrogen applications where oxygen content matters; C110 is sufficient for most electrical applications.
Yes, pure copper and copper alloys can be 3D printed via DMLS/SLM and binder jetting. However, copper is challenging for laser-based processes due to its high reflectivity and thermal conductivity. Green laser systems and specialized parameters are required for reliable results.
Copper naturally develops a patina (tarnish) over time. To prevent this, parts can be clear-coated with lacquer, electroplated with nickel or tin, or treated with anti-tarnish chemical conversion coatings. For electrical applications, tin or nickel plating is the standard approach.
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