High-performance metal wires qualified for Caracol Large Format Additive Manufacturing systems

Caracol works with its in-house labs and material partners to identify and qualify the best metal alloys for additive manufacturing. Caracol’s Vipra AM platforms support a wide range of tested and qualified materials for continuous printing: high-performance alloys that optimize production, technical properties, and cost-efficiency. The MATERIAL LAB continually expands material options, studying the mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties of printed parts to ensure reliable, repeatable production for clients.

Materials portfolio

  • ER70S-6
    Steel

    It's suitable for WAAM deposition of medium-strength structural steels, with mechanical performance comparable to steels such as S460. It can be used for structural components, repair operations, large steel parts, tooling, frames and general fabrication where good toughness and weldability are required.  The deposited material offers a good balance of strength, ductility and process stability.

  • ER100S-G
    Steel

    It's a high-strength low-alloy steel welding wire, typically used to produce deposits comparable to S690/S700-class steels in terms of strength level. It is suitable for WAAM fabrication of structural and Oil & Gas components such as valves, fittings, flanges, heavy machinery parts and offshore structures. It provides high tensile strength, good toughness and adequate ductility when combined with proper post-build heat treatment.

  • 316L
    Stainless Steel

    This austenitic stainless steel is ideal for demanding marine (propellers, hull fittings, and structural parts), oil & gas (pipelines, flanges, and valves), and chemical applications (tanks, reactors, and piping). Known for excellent corrosion resistance to rust, saltwater, and harsh chemicals, along with high durability and strong formability and weldability, it delivers reliable performance in tough environments.

  • 17-4 PH
    Stainless Steel

    This precipitation-hardening stainless steel combines high strength, hardness, and corrosion resistance, making it ideal for high-performance parts. It’s used in aerospace (landing gear, turbine blades), chemicals (valves, pumps), nuclear (control rods), and general engineering (shafts, gears). With excellent mechanical properties, resistance to chloride cracking, and heat treatability for customized properties, it’s a reliable choice for demanding applications.

  • 410 NiMo
    Stainless Steel Alloy

    This martensitic stainless-steel alloy, with nickel and molybdenum, offers high strength, toughness, and excellent corrosion and wear resistance. It's ideal for oil & gas (pump shafts, valves), and industrial machinery (cutting tools, bearings). With resistance to water, chemicals, and mild acids, it withstands mechanical stress, resists wear and is easily machined for precise finishes.

  • Al2319
    Aluminum Alloy

    This high-strength material is ideal for aerospace components exposed to elevated temperatures, offering excellent mechanical properties after heat treatment. It’s used in aerospace (fuselage, fuel tanks), automotive (suspension, chassis), and energy (storage tanks). With high mechanical strength for stress applications, wear resistance, and cavitation resistance, it performs well in demanding environments.

  • Al6061
    Aluminum Alloy

    It's a precipitation-hardenable Al-Mg-Si alloy, widely used for lightweight structural applications. It is commonly used for aerospace and industrial components requiring a good balance of strength, corrosion resistance, and processability. In a WAAM context using welding wire, AA6061 is particularly attractive because it can provide good manufacturability and relatively high mechanical performance after appropriate heat treatment.

  • Al7075
    Aluminum Alloy

    It's a high-strength Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy, widely used for demanding lightweight structural applications. It is commonly selected for aerospace, tooling, and highly loaded components where maximum strength-to-weight ratio is required. It is particularly attractive for its high mechanical potential.

  • Inconel 625
    Nickel-based Superalloy

    This nickel-based superalloy offers outstanding strength, fatigue, and corrosion resistance across a wide temperature range (cryogenic to 900°C). It’s used in aerospace (turbine blades, exhaust ducts), marine (propellers, valves), chemical (heat exchangers, reactors), and power generation (turbine blades, heat shields). With high strength for high-stress, high-temp applications, excellent corrosion resistance, thermal stability up to 982°C, and versatile use, it’s ideal for demanding environments.

  • Invar 36
    Iron-Nickel Alloy

    This iron-nickel alloy has a very low coefficient of thermal expansion, making it ideal for precision instruments and applications that require dimensional stability across a wide temperature range. It's used in aerospace tooling, precision molds, and cryogenic storage tanks. With minimal thermal expansion, excellent stability, and good toughness, it’s perfect for temperature-sensitive environments.

  • CuAl8Ni6
    Copper Alloy

    This copper-aluminum-nickel alloy offers excellent corrosion resistance, high strength, and good wear resistance, making it ideal for harsh marine and industrial environments. It’s used in marine (propellers, pumps), oil & gas (valve seats, impellers), industrial machinery (bearings, gears), and power/chemical sectors (blades, screws). With strong corrosion, wear, and cavitation resistance, it’s perfect for high-stress, demanding applications.

Vipra AM

Metal Additive Manufacturing

Vipra AM

An adaptive metal robotic 3D printer for large-format additive manufacturing, with two deposition head models to meet various production goals. This turnkey platform combines hardware, software, and automation for complex, large-scale metal applications.

logo heron arrow right icon

Success Stories

Check out some of our projects

Read how cutting-edge players across sectors are using large format additive manufacturing for industrial applications and how Caracol is helping them transform their advanced production processes.