Filament Guide

Our 3D Printing Filament Guide

Choosing the right filament is crucial for the success of your 3D printed project. Here's a breakdown of the different types of filaments we offer, each with unique properties to suit various needs:

Currently Available Filaments:

• PLA (Polylactic Acid): This is our standard and most commonly used filament.

  • Pros: Easy to print, produces smooth surfaces, available in a wide range of colors, and is biodegradable. It's great for prototypes, decorative items, and non-load-bearing parts.
  • Cons: Not as strong or heat-resistant as other filaments, can be brittle.
  • Typical Applications: Figurines, toys, decorative prints, non-functional prototypes.

• PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol): A strong and durable filament that's becoming increasingly popular.

  • Pros: Good strength and flexibility, impact-resistant, water-resistant, and has good chemical resistance. More heat-resistant than PLA.
  • Cons: Can be slightly more challenging to print than PLA, may require more careful bed adhesion.
  • Typical Applications: Functional parts, tools, containers, parts that need to withstand some stress or outdoor use.

• ASA (Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate): A great alternative to ABS, offering similar strength and durability with better UV resistance.

  • Pros: Strong, durable, good chemical resistance, and excellent UV resistance, making it suitable for outdoor applications.
  • Cons: Requires higher printing temperatures and good ventilation, more prone to warping than PLA or PETG.
  • Typical Applications: Outdoor components, automotive parts, enclosures for electronics.

Filaments Available with a Short Lead Time (Allow 2 Extra Days for Material Receiving):

• Carbon Fiber Reinforced Filaments (various base materials like PLA, PETG, Nylon): These filaments are infused with carbon fibers, significantly increasing their strength and stiffness.

  • Pros: Very high strength and stiffness, lightweight, good dimensional stability.
  • Cons: Can be abrasive to printer nozzles, may require specific printer setups, generally more expensive.
  • Typical Applications: High-performance parts, drone components, tooling, applications requiring maximum strength and rigidity.

• Nylon (Polyamide): A strong and flexible filament with good abrasion resistance.

  • Pros: High strength and flexibility, good abrasion and chemical resistance, can be dyed.
  • Cons: Absorbs moisture easily (needs to be stored and sometimes printed dry), requires high printing temperatures and good bed adhesion.
  • Typical Applications: Gears, hinges, functional prototypes, parts requiring flexibility and wear resistance.

• TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane): A flexible and elastic filament, similar to rubber.

  • Pros: High flexibility and elasticity, good abrasion resistance, can absorb vibrations.
  • Cons: Can be challenging to print, especially with Bowden extruders, requires slow printing speeds.
  • Typical Applications: Phone cases, gaskets, seals, flexible hinges, wearable electronics.

• ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene): A common engineering-grade plastic known for its strength and heat resistance.

  • Pros: Strong and durable, good heat resistance, relatively inexpensive.
  • Cons: Prone to warping and shrinking during printing, releases fumes that require good ventilation, can be more difficult to print than PLA or PETG.
  • Typical Applications: Enclosures, mechanical parts, automotive components (though ASA is often preferred for better UV resistance).

Important Notes:

• Filament Availability: Our filament inventory is constantly being updated. Please check the available filament options during the quote process or on our website.
• Custom Filament Requests: If you have a specific filament requirement not listed here, please let us know during your quote request, and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Ready to get started? Visit our Pricing Guide to learn about our pricing structure and get a quote for your project!