Sandvik launches Osprey GRCop-42 copper alloy powder for space propulsion 3D printing

• Sandvik, a Sweden-headquartered industrial technology group and gas-atomized metal powder producer, has launched Osprey GRCop-42, a copper-chromium-niobium alloy powder for additive manufacturing of space propulsion components. The material is intended for high-heat applications where material traceability and repeatable performance are central to qualification. Originally developed by NASA, GRCop-42 is a copper alloy for components exposed…

Sandvik, a Sweden-headquartered industrial technology group and gas-atomized metal powder producer, has launched Osprey GRCop-42, a copper-chromium-niobium alloy powder for additive manufacturing of space propulsion components. The material is intended for high-heat applications where material traceability and repeatable performance are central to qualification. Originally developed by NASA, GRCop-42 is a copper alloy for components exposed to demanding thermal and mechanical loads. Sandvik is targeting uses including fuel injector faces and combustion chamber linings, particularly for regeneratively cooled rocket engine hardware. The material combines high thermal conductivity with strength retention at elevated temperatures. Sandvik states that GRCop-42 retains strength above 500°C, ma