Materials › Metal-filled filament
Metal-filled filament – Properties, Temperatures & Tips
All key properties, print settings, pros and cons and matching filaments at a glance.
Properties & print settings
- Nozzle (°C)
- 190–270 (depending on base)
- Bed (°C)
- 60–100
- Tensile strength (MPa)
- lower than base material
- Density (g/cm³)
- much heavier
- Difficulty
- medium
No enclosure needed Hardened nozzle required
What is Metal-filled filament used for?
Display/decor parts with a metal look, polishable
+ Pros
Heavy, cool to the touch, metal-like after wet sanding (600–1500) and polishing
– Cons
Very abrasive → hardened nozzle, brittle, lower strength and layer adhesion than base (Prusa)
Printing tips at a glance
- Nozzle temperature: 190–270 (depending on base) °C – start in the middle of the range on a new spool and fine-tune with a temperature tower.
- Bed temperature: 60–100 °C.
- An enclosure is not needed, but avoid drafts.
- Because of the abrasive filler a hardened nozzle (e.g. hardened steel) is a must – brass wears out quickly.
Compare similar materials
| Material | Difficulty | Nozzle (°C) | Bed (°C) | Heat resistance HDT (°C) | Tensile strength (MPa) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metal-filled filament | 3/5 | 190–270 (depending on base) | 60–100 | – | lower than base material |
| PLA | 1/5 | 190–230 | 25–65 | 55–60 | 40–52 |
| Wood filament (wood PLA) | 2/5 | 190–210 (PolyWood); wood-powder filaments often up to 220 | 25–60 | approx. 54–56 | approx. 23 (PolyWood) |
| Silk PLA | 1/5 | 190–230 | 25–65 | approx. 65 (Vicat) | approx. 41 |
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Frequently asked questions
What nozzle temperature does Metal-filled filament need?
Guideline for Metal-filled filament: 190–270 (depending on base) °C nozzle and 60–100 °C bed temperature. The exact values are printed on the manufacturer's spool.
Do I need an enclosure for Metal-filled filament?
An enclosure is not needed, but avoid drafts. Because of the abrasive filler a hardened nozzle (e.g. hardened steel) is a must – brass wears out quickly.
Values are guidelines from manufacturer datasheets (Polymaker, Bambu Lab, Prusa). They may differ by manufacturer, colour and print settings.