Copper for series production: Equispheres introduces oxygen-free powders for L-PBF

Canadian manufacturer Equispheres is expanding its portfolio with oxygen-free copper powders specifically designed for use in series production with laser powder bed fusion processes. The target group is users in aerospace, automotive and semiconductor manufacturing who want to additively produce highly conductive metallic functional parts and rely on reproducible powder quality.

The basis of the new product line is a Cu-OF powder (C10200), which has demonstrated high particle sphericity, good flowability and stable processing in validations on systems from Aconity3D. Copper is traditionally considered challenging in L-PBF because its high reflectivity and thermal conductivity make it difficult for the laser energy to couple into the material. Equispheres addresses this with a process control strategy that specifically manages particle formation, particle size and oxide layer. A very thin oxide layer and a narrow particle size distribution are intended to ensure that the layers spread uniformly and the laser energy introduced is absorbed reproducibly.

“At Equispheres, we’ve harnessed our proven expertise in advanced powder technology—demonstrated through our success with aluminum AM—to introduce a next generation of copper powders,” states Kevin Nicholds, CEO of Equispheres. “By applying the same breakthrough technology that set our aluminum powders apart, we’ve achieved remarkable results in copper. We’re excited to offer manufacturers a new benchmark in quality and performance.”

The powder synthesis combines bio-based chemical building blocks with established metal powder technology to achieve high purity and consistent morphology. The resulting high conductivity of the finished part is particularly relevant for high-current contacts, cooling structures or RF components.

In parallel, Equispheres is working on copper alloys intended to meet additional requirements in terms of strength, wear resistance and oxidation resistance. Production takes place in North America, which is particularly beneficial for customers with local supply chains. For users in 3D printing, this creates an alternative to conventional copper and CuCrZr powders when, in addition to conductivity, factors such as process window, powder handling and supply-chain scalability also play a role. Equispheres is thus clearly positioning itself in the segment of high-performance powders that are intended to move additive manufacturing from prototyping into long-term series production.