Process development for the manufacturing of 99.94% pure copper via selective electron beam melting

The additive processing of 99.94% pure copper powder via selective electron beam melting (SEBM) is presented. The high thermal and electrical conductivity of pure copper combined with the freedom in design in additive manufacturing is promising for future application e.g. as heat exchanger. A process window for the generation of dense copper parts could be evaluated. Despite the high thermal conductivity, comparatively low build temperatures have to be used due to the high sintering tendency of the powder. The latter also limits the maximum power input during melting. •Processing of pure copper via selective electron beam melting.•Process parameter set for 99.95% dense samples found.•Process stability and sample quality is heavily influenced by the overall build temperature due to the high powder sticking tendency.•Microstructure shows typically elongated grains growing over many single layers.•Special etching technique makes microstructure and melt tracks visible at the same time.