3D-printed cemented carbide: freedom of design has never been harder
In most industries, especially those battling harsh environments, wear resistance is crucial for productivity. We've been perfecting cemented carbide since 1932, leveraging 160 years of materials expertise to develop a patented process that allows us to 3D print cemented carbide components tailored to your every need – breaking free from design restrictions.
Imagine reduced lead times, optimized performance, and components lasting up to 20 times longer compared to any other steel or metal alloy. When profound metallurgical knowledge meets cutting-edge technology, major innovations happen. And when durable designs are key to productivity… the right partner is everything.
Applications
We have been perfecting cemented carbide for decades, and offer 3D-printed, high-performance cemented carbide grades for the most demanding applications. Cemented carbide is characterized by high durability and excellent wear resistance. Therefore, components made from cemented carbide have typically 3-20 times longer service life compared to steels and other alloys, making them suitable for a range of applications such as nozzles, wire-drawing nibs and general wear parts.

Case
Optimized, 3D-printed nozzles in cemented carbide

Interview
A look at cemented carbide in additive manufacturing
Product data
Using additive manufacturing for making cemented carbide components means far greater design flexibility compared to producing components by, for example, press and sintering methods. With additive manufacturing, virtually any component geometry is possible.
Geometric capabilities (typical) | |
Size/Envelope | Max 200x200x300mm, Typical <40x40x50mm |
Wall thickness | 0.5 to 30mm |
Accuracy | ± 0.5 to ±1.0% of nominal dimension, min ±0.04 |
Geometry | Almost any |
Channels | L20mm*d0.8mm; L100mm*d1.2mm |
Roughness | Ra 3.2 |
Chemical composition | |||
Grade | Co | WC | Other |
H12N | 12 | Bal. | - |
H13F | 13 | Bal. | <1 |
H10F | 10 | Bal. | <1 |
Typical | properties | ||||||
Grade | Hardness | Compressive strength1 | Transverse rupture strength1 | Young's modulus1 | Thermal expansion coefficient1 | ISO | ANSI |
HV | MPa | MPa | GPa | 106/K | |||
H12N | 1350 | 4900 | 2800 | 550 | 5.8 | K40 | C1 |
H13F | 1450 | 5500 | 3800 | 560 | 6.1 | K30 | C1 |
H10F | 1600 | 5300 | 3700 | 580 | 5.7 | K20 | C2 |
1 Not tested. Typical/target values for reference.
Corrosion resistance
3D-printed cemented carbide is corrosion resistant at pH >7.