There are many different types of materials to choose from when utilizing FDM 3D printing technology. Depending on your needs, specifications, & use cases, there is a filament out there for every use! In this blog post, we’ll be reviewing some of the most common FDM filaments on the market being utilized by hobbyists & businesses alike.
PLA, or polylactic acid, is one of the most common 3D printing materials in use today. Notorious for its low odor, ease of printability, low warping, vibrant glossy color, and rigidity, it’s most used by hobbyists in producing a final product and by businesses rapid prototyping a model to test.
PLA is a bio-based polymer derived from fermented plant starch. As such, it is technically biodegradable, however, there are very specific conditions required for it to be properly composted, usually industrial. There have been significant levels of misinformation about PLA’s biodegradability and recyclability when it comes to the public and businesses using PLA and sending the waste to the landfill, believing that it will naturally break down there. It will contribute to plastics pollution the same way as most other thermoplastics without those specific industrial conditions. Information sourced from https://www.espublisher.com/uploads/article_pdf/es8d616.pdf
PLA is considered to be safe for home printing as there are low concentrations of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) released from the process of printing (extruding the plastic). However, it’s always good practice to have proper ventilation in the area where you choose to do your 3D printing projects!
Polylactic acid (PLA) filament has many properties, including:
Tensile strength - The force a material can withstand before breaking. PLA filament has a tensile strength of 38–47.8 MPa.
Flexural strength - The force a material can withstand before bending. PLA filament has a flexural strength of around 85 MPa.
Density - The mass of a material per unit volume. PLA filament has a density of 1.24 g/cm³.
Melting point - The temperature at which a material melts. PLA filament has a melting point of 150–160 °C.
Glass transition temperature - The temperature at which a material's properties change. PLA filament has a glass transition temperature of around 53 °C.
Heat deflection temperature - The temperature at which a material softens and bends under a load. PLA filament has a heat deflection temperature of around 55 °C.
Coefficient of thermal expansion (How much a material expands or shrinks when its temperature changes) - PLA filament has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 68e-6/⁰C.
*These specifications are a range because of the different manufacturing processes by different companies to make PLA. Not every PLA is identical so always check with your specific manufacturer.*
PETG, or polyethylene terephthalate glycol, is a thermoplastic that has found widespread use cases in the additive manufacturing industry. PETG is considered to be food safe, has very strong layer adhesion, decent UV resistance, reasonable temperature resistance, is somewhat flexible yet strong and durable. The quote used in additive manufacturing is to think of PETG as the best of both worlds between PLA and ABS, which has a few characteristics of each. It, like PLA, comes in a variety of glossy colors, prints with very low VOCs and smells, and is relatively easy to print with. PETG has similar durability and strength as ABS does.
PETG is also considered to be safe to use at home much like PLA, however we always recommend to have ventilation in the room where the printing is being done. Never can be too safe!
PETG is a great thermoplastic to use to produce a final end use product that is strong, durable, flexible, and colorful if need be. We count it among some of our most used filaments to date.
PETG is a thermoplastic material with several mechanical properties, including tensile strength, flexural strength, and elongation. Some of the mechanical properties are listed below!
Tensile strength - PETG has a tensile strength of around 7,700 psi
The tensile strength of 3D printed PETG can vary depending on the direction of the test
Flexural strength - PETG has a flexural strength of around 11,200 psi
The flexural strength of 3D printed PETG can vary depending on the direction of the test
Elongation - PETG has a tensile elongation of around 210%
The tensile elongation at break of 3D printed PETG can vary depending on the direction of the test
Other mechanical properties
PETG has a glass transition temperature of around 81°C
PETG has a density of around 1.25 g/cm3 at 21°C
PETG has excellent layer adhesion
PETG is reasonably temperature resistant up to around 70 or 80°C
PETG's mechanical properties can be used to evaluate its strength, durability, and resilience to dynamic forces.
*Always check the MSDS with the respective manufacturers as these are broad ranges and different manufacturing processes and materials can cause the final product to vary*
ABS
ABS, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, is a thermoplastic that has been in use in FDM 3D printing since the early 90s. It’s one of the first FDM filaments that gained traction in additive manufacturing due to its strength, durability, and ability to withstand higher temperatures. ABS is typically cheaper than PLA, PETG, and engineering grade filaments. It also has significant chemical resistance.
However, there are some drawbacks to ABS that might turn some potential users of the filament away. One of the biggest issues that people tend to have with ABS is its tendency to warp during printing. One of the only solutions for this is to either never print larger ABS prints or to utilize an enclosure, potentially with its own chamber heater to prevent warping. Another issue is that it is significantly affected by UV in a derogatory fashion. ABS also requires ventilation as it releases significantly more VOCs than either PLA or PETG. Filtration and ventilation is a must.
ABS filament has a number of mechanical properties, including tensile strength, flexural strength, and impact resistance. Further mechanical properties of this thermoplastic are listed below.
Tensile strength - ABS has a tensile strength of 29.6–48.0 MPa
ABS is stronger and harder than polypropylene (PP)
Flexural strength - ABS has a flexural strength of 60.6–73.1 MPa
Impact resistance - ABS has good impact resistance, even at low temperatures
ABS is four times more impact resistant than PLA
Heat resistance - ABS has a high heat tolerance
ABS has a glass transition temperature of around 108°C
ABS has a heat deflection temperature of 70–89°C
* Always check the MSDS with the respective manufacturers as these are broad ranges and different manufacturing processes and materials can cause the final product to vary*
ASA
ASA, or Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate, has significant advantages over ABS and other filaments. ASA is well known for its durability, weather resistance, and high impact resistance. We consider ASA personally to be superior to PLA, PETG, and ABS in one way or another. If you are looking for an “engineering grade” thermoplastic that is highly resistant to the sun’s UV, resistant to water, chemicals, flexible (as in bend before breaking), strong, durable, and has high heat resistance, then this should be your number one pick!
The downsides of ASA are that it, much like ABS, requires high temperatures to print at and must be printed within an enclosure to defend against warping. It also requires the area in which it is printed to be well ventilated and have a filter on the printer itself. It does have a smell while its printing, although it is less pungent than the smell from ABS. It would be a good idea to print both ABS and ASA in a room dedicated to printing without people inhabiting the room.
Ways that ASA compares to other common filaments are as follows:
PLA: ASA is more flexible than PLA, which is brittle and tends to crack under high stress.
PETG: ASA has a higher flexural modulus and melting temperature than PETG, but a lower density and tensile strength.
ABS: ASA is similar to ABS, but it can withstand being in the sun longer without yellowing or losing strength.
Some of the mechanical properties of ASA are listed below:
Tensile strength: 35–50.5 MPa (426011000 psi)
Tensile modulus: 1,786–2,468 MPa
Elongation at break: 25–40%
Elongation at yield: About 5.01%
Flexural strength: 38.6–78.6 MPa
Flexural modulus: 1,413–2,606 MPa
Glass transition temperature: About 112C
* Always check the MSDS with the respective manufacturers as these are broad ranges and different manufacturing processes and materials can cause the final product to vary*
Nylon
Nylon is a widely used material in both 3D printing and injection molding. Nylon has many mechanical properties, including:
Strength: Nylon filament is strong and has good impact resistance.
Stiffness: Carbon fiber reinforced nylon filament is very stiff and strong.
Heat resistance: Nylon filament can withstand temperatures up to 120°C. Carbon fiber reinforced nylon filament has increased temperature resistance.
Chemical resistance: Nylon Kevlar filament can resist many acids, alkalis, and solvents.
Abrasion resistance: Nylon filament has high abrasion resistance.
Dimensional stability: Carbon fiber filled filaments have better dimensional stability and don't warp as much.
Flexural strength: Carbon fiber reinforced nylon filament has the highest flexural strength of FDM thermoplastics.
Low friction coefficient: Nylon filament has a low friction coefficient.
Resistance to oil and alkali: Nylon filament has good resistance to oil and alkali.
Glass transition temperature: Nylon has a low glass transition temperature of around 50–70°C.
Tensile strength: The tensile strength of nylon filament can range from 46 MPa to 85 MPa
Nylon filament has greater tensile strength than ABS filament
Flexural strength: The flexural strength of nylon filament can range from 47 MPa to 83 MPa
Nylon filament has greater flexural strength than ABS filament
Elongation at break - The elongation at break of nylon filament can be around 50%
Other mechanical properties
Density: Nylon filament has a density of around 1.14 g/cm³
Melting onset: Nylon filament has a melting onset of around 255°C
Flexural modulus: Nylon filament has a flexural modulus of around 2.0 GPa
Elastic modulus: Nylon filament has an elastic modulus of around 2.5 GPa
Nylon is a very durable engineering grade filament that can create end use parts that will stand the test of time and multiple stressors. Nylon is widely used for things like bearings, bushings, gears, wear pads, packaging machinery parts, food processing machinery parts, wheels, rollers, seals, and gaskets. Performance of the material in these roles would be that it has excellent bearing and wear properties, strength and stiffness, chemical resistance, ease to machine, and finally, reduced noise, weight, and wear of mating parts.
Downsides to printing with Nylon is that the plastic is extremely hydroscopic, so it must be extensively dried before use, as well as be stored correctly for the long term. It also requires much higher temperatures to print and an enclosure with lots of ventilation and filtration of the air. It also prints much slower than some of the more basic 3d printing filaments.
* Always check the MSDS with the respective manufacturers as these are broad ranges and different manufacturing processes and materials can cause the final product to vary*
Polycarbonate
Perhaps the strongest thermoplastic on our list is Polycarbonate, abbreviated often as PC. Some of its outstanding mechanical properties are as follows:
Impact resistance: PC is very impact resistant and can maintain its structural integrity even after being hit.
Tensile strength: PC has a tensile strength of around 9,800 psi.
Flexural strength: PC has a flexural strength of around 90 MPa.
Heat resistance: PC is heat resistant and can withstand higher temperatures.
Flame retardance: PC is flame retardant.
Toughness: PC is tough and rigid.
Density: PC has a density of around 1.2 g/cm³.
PC is certainly not a beginner filament to use, and not every printer is capable of achieving successful prints with this material. It is hydroscopic, requires high temperatures, requires slow printing speeds, is very taxing to the machine, and is very difficult to post process. Its main uses are commercial and industrial where extreme strength and resistance are absolutely essential to the part’s success. As always, please do plenty of research and be skilled before attempting to print with some of the more extreme engineering filaments.
* Always check the MSDS with the respective manufacturers as these are broad ranges and different manufacturing processes and materials can cause the final product to vary*
TPU
TPU, or thermoplastic polyurethane, is a true flexible filament. Almost rubber-like, it has good tensile strength and elongation. It also has excellent abrasion/chemical resistance making it not only viable, but ideal for functional parts exposed to wear or certain harsh environments. Some of its mechanical properties are as follows:
Elasticity - TPU is highly elastic and can stretch to a significant degree without permanently deforming
Its elongation at break is typically between 200% and 600%
Flexibility - TPU is very bendy and can be stretched without breaking
It's ideal for parts that need to be flexible but also strong
Tensile strength - TPU has good tensile strength
Its tensile strength can range from 7600 to 11500 psi
Chemical and abrasion resistance - TPU is resistant to chemicals and abrasion
This makes it ideal for functional parts that are exposed to harsh environments or wear
Durability - TPU is tough and can withstand a lot of wear and tear
Downsides of TPU is that it requires being dried for longer than normal periods of time (up to 48 hours!) due to how hydroscopic the material is. It also requires a much slower print speed than a material like PLA, and it can be very difficult to post-process.
TPU certainly has a great many use cases and is very useful in the applications that call for its use. There are also many different shore hardness ratings for different types of TPU, so whether your project calls for softer or harder variations of TPU, odds are a manufacturer has the hardness of TPU your project requires!
TPE
TPE is the acronym for Thermoplastic Elastomer, a combination of rubber and plastic with both thermoplastic and elastomer properties. TPU, Thermoplastic Polyurethane, is another versatile derivative of TPE. Both 3D filaments produce flexible, impact-resistant, UV-resistant, impact-resistant, waterproof, and reasonably chemically-resistant parts.
Thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) are more flexible and softer to the touch. Thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) are also flexible but also more rigid. TPEs have been commercially available much longer but are relatively new in the 3D printing sector. TPEs are less expensive, have greater availability, and are best for lighter and more flexible products. TPU is preferred for more durable and rugged applications. By comparison, TPUs require less effort to 3D print, while TPE is slightly less expensive.
In addition to TPU, variations of TPE include additional flexible materials, including Thermoplastic Polyamide (TPA) and Thermoplastic Copolyester (TPC). TPE is used in a variety of applications, such as automotive parts, toys, medical devices, and consumer products, such as athletic shoes and electronics. TPE is available for FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling printing as a Filament and SLS printers as a powder.
The material characteristics of TPE are listed below:
Good impact resistance
Soft and flexible
Good tear and abrasion resistance
Excellent fatigue resistance
Good electrical insulation properties
Excellent vibration damping
Good chemical and UV resistance
Resistance to low and high temperatures (-30 to +140 °C)
Recyclable
Soft material creates extrusion problems
Filament many buckle when extruded
Filament is hygroscopic and should be stored properly
The advantages of TPE versus TPU include the following:
TPU is softer and more flexible
Many TPEs can be easily recycled
TPE is less expensive
TPE has been available and used in products since the 1950s
TPE can be printed as an intermediate layer acting as a flexible stabilizer
The disadvantages of TPE versus TPU are listed below:
TPE is more temperature sensitive than TPU
TPEs are not as easy to print as TPUs
Rework is common with TPE-printed products
Much of the information for TPU and TPE was pulled from https://www.3ds.com/make/solutions/blog/tpe-vs-tpu-differences-and-comparison