Composite materials (with metal or wood particles)

Basic info

Composite materials filled with metal or wood powder are usually PLA or PETG filaments. The additives may give them special properties and attractive looks. They are harder to print due to a higher risk of clogging the nozzle. Metal-filled filaments also require a hardened nozzle.

Recommended nozzle temperature: 190-270 °C (depending on filament type)

Recommended bed temperature: 60-100 °C (depending on filament type)

Heatbed: Smooth PEI sheet will provide the best adhesion.

Wood or metal powder-filled filaments are used mostly for aesthetic purposes, imitating the chosen material (wood or metal). However, you may find materials filled with various additives that give them special properties. For example, the Prusament PETG Tunsten 75% is filled with tungsten powder, which gives the filament radioactive shielding properties and extra weight. These filaments usually have worse mechanical resistance and layer adhesion than non-modified versions.

Metal-filled materials are highly abrasive and require a hardened steel nozzle. For wood-filled materials and other composites with large particles (except Prusament materials), we also recommend using, minimum, a 0.6 mm nozzle, and 0.2 mm layer height to prevent clogging.

Due to the brittleness of these filaments, we do not recommend printing them with the MMU2S (or newer) upgrade.

Metal-filled filaments can be polished to reach an authentic metal look (but not mechanical properties). Polish metal-filled materials in a similar way you would do it with transparent parts: gently sand the surface with wet sanding papers with 600-1500 (or higher) grit, starting with the roughest and ending with the finest. Then, use polishing paste and a piece of cloth. Remember that powder-filled filaments have inferior mechanical properties and layer adhesion. If your print has some protrusions and surface details, they can break easily. The wood-filled filaments, on the other hand, can be stained as wood. This gives them a nice weathered look.

Sample prints


Polished copper-filled filament (axe)	Tungsten-filled PETG for shielding radioactivity

Prusament Woodfill	PETG Magnetite - filament with paramagnetic properties

1 comment

mercbennett

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about 1 year ago

I am trying to print with ERYONE Wood PLA, and it is not sticking to the bed I tried creating a filament preset wit the paramaters on the spool and product documentation but it just doesn't stick. Any help or suggestions appreciated
mericbennett

Alessandro Pantaleo

•

about 1 year ago

Hello, thank you for your comment, and sorry for the issue. If this is still an issue, it is likely not an issue with the particular spool, but more on the cleaning techniques for the sheet.
I'd recommend checking the aspects in this paragraph of the smooth sheet guide and in more detail the aspects in the following guide for first-layer issues. The issue at hand is most likely related to the sheet preparation.