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3D printer material guide
Ultimate Materials Guide - 3D Printing Flexible Filament
Overview
Flexible filaments are made of Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE) which are a blend of hard plastic and rubber. As the name suggests, this material is elastic in nature allowing the plastic to be stretched and flexed easily. There are several types of TPE, with Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) being the most commonly used among 3D printing filaments. In many cases, these terms are used interchangeably, along with popular brand names such as Ninjaflex. The degree of elasticity in the plastic depends on the type of TPE and the chemical formulation used by the manufacturer. For example, some filaments can be partially flexible like a car tire but others can be elastic and fully flexible like a rubber band. This guide will cover tips to help you with both of these variations of flexible filaments.
- Flexible and soft
- Excellent vibration dampening
- Long shelf life
- Good impact resistance
- Difficult to print
- Poor bridging characteristics
- Possibility of blobs and stringing
- May not work well on Bowden extruders
Hardware Requirements
Before 3D printing with flexible filaments, make sure your 3D printer meets the hardware requirements listed below to ensure the best print quality.
Bed
Temperature: 45-60 °C
Heated Bed Optional
Enclosure Not Required
Build Surface
PEI
Painter’s Tape
Extruder
Temperature: 225-245 °C
Direct Drive Extruder Recommended
Cooling
Part Cooling Fan Required
Best Practices
Flexible filaments come with many unique challenges that you want to be aware of. These tips will help you reduce the chances of common 3D printing issues such as clogging, kinking, and stringing.
Use Direct Drive Extruders
While some partially flexible filaments work fine with Bowden Extruders, most fully flexible filaments require a Direct Drive extruder for best results. The distance between the drive gear and the melt zone of the hot-end needs to be as short as possible to efficiently feed the filament into the nozzle. Additionally, the pathway through which the filament travels into the melt zone should have tight tolerances to prevent the filament from kinking or coiling inside.
For these reasons, it is typically much easier to print flexible filaments with a Direct Drive extruder versus a Bowden extruder. If you are unsure about your 3D printer’s capabilities, you may want to check with the manufacturer to see if the extruder has been approved for use with flexible filaments.
Use Slow and Consistent Feed Rates
Flexible filaments typically print best using a slow and consistent feed rate. Because the material is elastic, it can be very difficult to control sudden changes in the print speed. Higher print speeds can cause the filament to compress and will most likely result in a jam. Slow and steady is the best approach. Simplify3D provides all of your feed rate settings on the Speeds tab of your process settings so that you can easily configure these values. Finding the optimal print speed for your material can take several attempts based on trial and error. We have seen that speeds of 1200 mm/min (20 mm/s) can be a good starting point for most materials.
Reduce Resistance from the Filament Spool
A few tweaks to your material spool can also make a big difference with flexible materials. Typically, your extruder will pull the filament into the nozzle, forcing the filament spool mounted on your printer to unwind a bit of plastic in the process. However, because flexible materials are elastic, this will stretch the filament out as it is being pulled in and can actually result in under-extrusion. Try mounting the spool above your printer so that the filament unwinds in a downward direction which can reduce the resistance. It can also be incredibly helpful to mount the spool’s hub on a bearing to allow the spool to spin as freely as possible.
Tune Your Retraction Settings
The elastic nature of flexible filament makes it sensitive to quick movements such as retractions. In order to successfully print the filament, you will need to optimize your retraction settings to reduce these movements. While you are first starting with this material, we would recommend disabling retraction completely.
You can make this change in Simplify3D on the Extruders tab of your process settings. With retraction disabled, you can focus on finding the perfect speed and extrusion rates that allow you to reliably print your models. After you are more confident in these settings, you may wish to add a very small amount of retraction with a slower retraction speed to help with any potential oozing from the hot-end. Simplify3D also includes a unique option called Coasting, which will automatically help lower the pressure in the nozzle when you approach the end of a segment, which can significantly reduce blobs and stringing with these materials. If you want more information about other options that can help reduce hairs and stringing on your prints, we have an entire section on our Print Quality Guide dedicated to that issue: How to Reduce Stringing and Oozing.
Optimize Your Travel Movements
Retractions can be particularly troublesome for flexible materials, so it is typically best to minimize the number of retractions required for your print.
Simplify3D has a great feature that was built specifically for this situation. Instead of moving in a straight line from point A to B, the software will actually choose a completely new path when moving between these points, with the goal of staying within the interior of your object so that there won’t be any oozing or stringing. With this unique feature enabled, you can greatly reduce the amount of retractions required for your print and significantly improve your print quality. To use this feature, click on the Advanced tab of your process settings, and enable the “Avoid crossing outline for travel movement” option.
Pro-Tips
- Optimize the feed rate by printing at lower layer heights in the 0.1mm – 0.2mm range. The lower layer height requires less plastic, so it allows your extruder to use a lower feed-rate, relieving the burden on the filament.
- Try to avoid using rafts with flexible materials, as the base layers of the raft have higher extrusion rates which may create issues.
- If you are designing a flexible part that needs to fit on top of another object, try using a negative tolerance between the parts so that the flexible part will need to stretch to fit over the other object snugly.
Get Started with Flexible Filaments
Now that you’re ready to start printing with flexible materials, we have a few tips to help you get started. View some typical applications below, try out a few of our sample projects, or choose a popular filament brand to purchase for your next project.
Common Applications
- Vibration dampening
- Grip Sleeves
- Phone cases
Sample Projects
- RC Car Tire
- Phone case
- Bike Handle
Popular Brands
- NinjaTek Ninjaflex, Armadillo, Cheetah
- Polymaker PolyFlex
- eSun TPE
- Sainsmart Flexible TPU
Ultimate Materials Guide - Tips for 3D Printing with PLA
Overview
Polylactic Acid, commonly known as PLA, is one of the most popular materials used in desktop 3D printing.
It is the default filament of choice for most extrusion-based 3D printers because it can be printed at a low temperature and does not require a heated bed. PLA is a great first material to use as you are learning about 3D printing because it is easy to print, very inexpensive, and creates parts that can be used for a wide variety of applications. It is also one of the most environmentally friendly filaments on the market today. Derived from crops such as corn and sugarcane, PLA is renewable and most importantly biodegradable. As a bonus, this also allows the plastic to give off a sweet aroma during printing.
- Low Cost
- Stiff and good strength
- Good dimensional accuracy
- Good shelf life
- Low heat resistance
- Can ooze and may need cooling fans
- Filament can get brittle and break
- Not suitable for outdoors (sunlight exposure)
Hardware Requirements
Before 3D printing with PLA make sure your 3D Printer meets the hardware requirements listed below to ensure the best print quality.
Bed
Temperature: 45-60 °C
Heated Bed Optional
Enclosure not required
Build Surface
Painter’s tape
PEI
Glass plate
Glue stick
Extruder
Temperature: 190-220 °C
No special hot-end required
Cooling
Part Cooling Fan Required
Fan Speed: 100%
Best Practices
These tips will help you reduce the chances of common 3D printing issues associated with PLA such as stringing, oozing, or under-extrusion.
Fine Tune the Retractions to Prevent Oozing
One of the most common problems with PLA is oozing. Since the filament flows relatively easily when compared to the other materials, it has a tendency to continue flowing during travel movements at the end of a segment. This creates strings or hairs on your part, and dialing in your retraction settings is the best way to combat this behavior! Different brands of PLA and different printers may need slightly different retraction settings, so you may need to experiment to find the best value for your printer.
Simplify3D added a very useful feature in Version 4.0 that can help with this, by allowing you to quickly try dozens of different settings, and then look at the final part to determine which one worked the best on your specific setup. For example, you could setup two vertical pillars which are printed side-by-side to evaluate stringing when moving back-and-forth between each pillar. Then go to Tools > Variable Settings Wizard and choose how you want to adjust your settings during the print. For example, you could try a different retraction distance for each 20mm section of the print and then pick the value that works best in the end. For more tips on how to reduce stringing and oozing, be sure to check out our Print Quality Guide which contains an entire section dedicated to this issue: How to Reduce Stringing and Oozing.
Optimize Your Cooling Settings
Cooling is one of the most important aspects of printing with PLA. Having a dedicated part cooling fan makes a huge difference in the quality of the printed parts.
The freshly extruded plastic needs to cool down below the glass transition temperature as quickly as possible. This will prevent the plastic from stringing and producing other artifacts. We recommend setting the fan to 100% throughout the print, except for the first 1-2 layers where you want to form a strong bond with the print bed. Simplify3D also includes a useful option on the Cooling tab of your process settings that can automatically reduce the print speed for small parts, ensuring that the layers have sufficient time to cool. This can greatly improve the print quality by allowing the layer to solidify before printing the next layer on top of it. This setting can be found on the Speeds tab of your process settings.
Choose the Correct Extruder Temperature
This is a great tip for any filament, but is especially useful for PLA which often contains different combinations of additives depending on the manufacturer. These different additives can lead to variations in printing temperature between 190-230 degrees Celsius.
If you are not printing at the right temperature this can lead to several print quality issues including oozing, stringing, and under-extrusion. PLA can also be combined with different fills like metal, wood, and fiber that give it different characteristics than a standard homogeneous PLA. These may require different settings or even different hardware. Be sure to check with the manufacturer of your filament to verify the optimal temperature to use for your specific filament. If you have trouble with stringing, try reducing this temperature by 5-10 degrees, which will help prevent the excess oozing. If you’re struggling with under-extrusion, try increasing the temperature by 10 degrees so that the material flows more easily through the nozzle.
Pro-Tips
- Using a fan that cools the 3D printed part from all directions is highly recommended. Many popular 3D printers have community-designed attachments that can be printed and retrofitted onto your machine to improve the cooling airflow.
- Increasing the number of perimeter outlines for your PLA prints will create a strong bond between each layer, creating stronger parts that are less prone to breaking.
Get Started with PLA
Now that you are ready to start printing with PLA, here’s a bit more information to help you get started. Start thinking of project ideas by reviewing our common applications, try out one of the provided sample projects, or find a new filament to try from our list of popular material brands.
Common Applications
- Test and calibration items
- Dimensionally accurate assemblies
- Decorative Parts
- Cosplay Props
Sample Projects
- LA Spring Motor, Rolling Chassis
- G – Clamp
- Storm Trooper Helmet
Popular Brands
- Polymaker PLA, PolyMax, PolyPlus
- ColorFabb PLA/PHA
- Hatchbox PLA
- eSun PLA
- Filamentum PLA
types, applications and features
3D printing enables rapid and cost-effective prototyping and production of models for a wide range of applications.
But choosing the right 3D printing technology is only one side of the coin. Ultimately, the ability to create models with the required mechanical properties, functional characteristics or appearance will depend on the materials.
This comprehensive guide provides information on the most popular plastic and metal 3D printing materials available, compares their properties and applications, and provides guidance on how to select the most suitable material for your project. nine0003
Interactive Material
Need help choosing your 3D printing material? Our new interactive materials wizard will help you select the right material from our growing range of polymers, based on your intended application and the properties that matter most to you.
Get material recommendations
Dozens of plastic materials are available for 3D printing. Each of them has unique properties suitable for specific applications.
To make it easier to find the best material for a particular model or product, let's first look at the main types of plastics and the various 3D printing processes. nine0003
There are two main types of plastics:
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thermoplastics are the most common type of plastics. The main feature that distinguishes them from thermosetting plastics is their ability to withstand multiple melting and solidification cycles. Thermoplastics can be heated and shaped into desired shapes. This process is reversible because no chemical bond is formed. As a result, they can be recycled or melted down and reused. Thermoplastics can be compared to butter: it melts and hardens many times. With each melting cycle, the properties of thermoplastics change slightly. nine0003
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thermoset plastics (also called thermosets) remain permanently solid after polymerization. The polymers in thermosetting plastics are crosslinked during the polymerization process, which is induced by heat, light, or appropriate radiation.
Thermoset plastics decompose when heated, rather than melt. In addition, they do not change their shape when cooled. It is not possible to recycle thermosetting plastics or restore the material to its original state. Thermosetting is like pie dough: once baked, the pie cannot be melted back into dough. nine0003
The three most common plastic 3D printing processes today are:
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Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printers melt and extrude thermoplastic filaments, which the printer's nozzle deposits layer by layer on the work area.
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The Stereolithography (SLA) 3D Printer uses a laser to photopolymerize thermoset liquid polymers into a hardened plastic. nine0003
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The Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D Printer is equipped with a high power laser to sinter fine particles of thermoplastic powder.
How-to video
Can't find the 3D printing technology that best suits your needs? In this video tutorial, we compare Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Stereolithography (SLA), and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) technologies in terms of the top factors to consider when purchasing.
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Fused fusion modeling (FDM), also known as fused filament manufacturing (FFF), is the most common form of consumer grade 3D printing, fueled by the rise of hobbyist 3D printers.
This method is well suited for making basic experimental models, as well as for quickly and inexpensively prototyping simple products, such as parts that are usually machined. nine0003
Consumer grade FDM has the lowest resolution and accuracy of any other plastic 3D printing process, making it unsuitable for printing complex designs or models with intricate features. It is possible to improve the surface quality of models printed using this technology using chemical and mechanical polishing processes. FDM-based industrial 3D printers, which offer a wider range of engineering thermoplastics, can solve these problems, but are also much more expensive. nine0003
Each layer is formed with a thermoplastic thread. Sometimes, if the layers are not completely adjacent to each other, there may be voids between them.
As a result, anisotropic models are obtained, which is important to consider when designing products that must withstand load and be resistant to tension.
FDM 3D printing materials are available in a variety of colors. There are also various experimental mixtures of thermoplastic threads designed to create models with a surface that mimics wood or metal. nine0003
The most common materials for 3D printing in FDM technology are ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), PLA (polylactic acid) and various mixtures of these polymers. More advanced FDM printers can also print on other materials with different properties, such as increased temperature and chemical resistance, impact resistance, and rigidity.
| Material | Features | Methods of use | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABS (acrylonitril-butadien-styrol) | Strong and durable Thermal and impact-resistant need for a heated printing platform | Easiest media to print with FDM technology Strong, tough but brittle Less resistant to temperature and chemicals The biodegradable does not have a smell of | Conceptual models Realistic prototypes | ||||
| PETG (polyethylenertalatlatglycol) | is compatible with low printing temperatures .  | Waterproof application Clip-on components | |||||
| nylon | Hard, durable and light Strong and partially flexible heat -resistant and shockproof Complex for printing using FDM | Functional Prototypes Basement models | TPU (thermal polyurate) | 9008 9008 9008 9008 9008 9008 9008 9008 Excellent vibration dampingFlexible Prototypes | |||
| PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) | Soluble support structure material The material for supporting structures | ||||||
| impact -resistant polystyrene | The material for creating soluble supporting structures, the most commonly used with ABS | Material for supporting structures | |||||
| Composit materials (carbon, composite composite materials are dissolved in water. Kevlar, fiber optic) | Strong, tough and incredibly hard Only compatible with some expensive industrial 3D printers based on FDM technology | Functional prototypes Clamping fixtures, fixtures, tooling |
Invented in the 1980s, stereolithography is the world's first 3D printing technology and is still one of the most popular among professionals today.
Models printed with stereolithography printers have the highest resolution and accuracy, the sharpest detail and the smoothest surface of any other plastic 3D printing technology. Resin 3D printing is a great option for producing highly detailed prototypes that require tight tolerances and smooth surfaces such as molds, templates, and functional models. Models printed using SLA technology can be easily polished and/or painted after printing, resulting in highly detailed finished products. nine0003
Models printed on SLA 3D printers are generally isotropic: their strength is more or less constant and independent of orientation, since chemical bonds occur between each layer. This results in models with predictable mechanical characteristics critical for applications such as fasteners, fixtures, finished products, and functional prototypes.
Stereolithography supports a wide range of plastic 3D printing materials. nine0003
SLA 3D printing is versatile and provides a wide range of optical, mechanical and thermal properties that match those of standard, engineering and industrial thermoplastics.
| Materials of FORMLABS | Characteristics | Methods of use | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard polymers | High resolution Smote, matte surface | Conceptual models 958 Conceptual models | Conceptual Models Realistic prototypes |
| Clear Resin | The only truly transparent material for 3D printing from plastics can be polished to almost full optical transparency | models, which should be optically transparent | |
| DRAFT REDI | One of the fastest 3D printing materials Prints 4x faster than standard resins and 10x faster than FDM | Initial prototypes Rapid iterations | |
| Tough Resin and Durable Resin | Materials that are tough, strong, functional and dynamic Able to withstand compression, tension, bending and impact without breaking Various materials with properties similar to ABS | Enclosures and Enclosures Clamps and Mounting Devices Connectors Wear Prototypes | |
| Rigid Resins | Highly filled, stiff and strong material, resistant to bending Resistant to temperature and chemicals Maintains dimension under load | Clamping and clamping fixtures, tooling Turbines and fan blades Fluid/air components Electrical enclosures and enclosures used in the automotive industry | |
| High Temp Resin | High temperature resistant High Precision | Hot Air, Gas, and Liquid Components Heat Resistant Fasteners, Housings, and Fixtures Molds and Inserts | |
| Flexible Resin and Elastic Resin | Flexibility of Rubber, TPU, or Silicone compression Withstand many successive cycles without wear | Consumer product prototypes Foldable structures for robotics Medical devices and anatomy models Props and models for special effects | |
| Medical and dental resins | A wide range of biocompatible resins for the manufacture of medical and dental products | Dental and medical products, including surgical templates, dentures and prosthetic limbs | |
| Lost Wax and Vulcanized Rubber Casting Materials Easy to cast, allows for intricate designs and retains shape well | Products for trying on Models for reusable press forms Jewelry to order | ||
| Ceramic Resin | Surface System, similar to the Firing Personal Product, the possibility of firing for creating a real ceramic product | Technical survival Unique articles 908 |
Sample
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We will send a free print sample directly to your office. nine0003
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Selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printing is a technology trusted by engineers and manufacturers across industries to create durable and functional models. With its low model cost, high performance, and use of common materials, this technology is well suited for a wide range of applications, from rapid prototyping to low-volume production, limited trial runs, or custom-made products. nine0003
The green powder supports the model during printing and eliminates the need for special support structures. As a result, SLS is ideal for complex geometries, including internal features, undercuts, thin walls, and negative draft features.
Like stereolithography, SLS produces more isotropic models than FDM models. Models created with SLS technology have a slightly rough surface due to powder particles, but have almost no visible layer lines. nine0003
SLS 3D printing materials are ideal for a range of functional applications, from consumer product design to manufacturing and healthcare applications.
Compared to FDM and SLA technologies, SLS technology allows the use of a limited number of materials. However, the available materials have excellent mechanical properties. They have strength comparable to die-cast models. The most common selective laser sintering material is nylon, a popular engineering thermoplastic with excellent mechanical properties. Nylon is light, strong and flexible, resistant to impact, heat, chemicals, UV radiation, water and dirt. nine0003
| Material | Description | Methods of use |
|---|---|---|
| Nylon 12 Powder | Strong, hard and durable Siberian, Solp. water | Functional prototypes End use products Medical devices |
| Nylon 11 Powder | Similar properties to Nylon 12 Powder. Possesses greater elasticity, elongation at break and impact resistance, but less rigidity | Functional prototypes Products for the final use of Medical devices |
| TPU | Flexible, elastic, elastic resistant to deformation High resistance to ultraviolet Excellent damping capacity | . end use Medical devices |
| Nylon composites | Nylon materials reinforced with glass, aluminum or fiberglass for greater strength and rigidity | Functional Prototypes Structural End-Use Products |
Sample
Experience Formlabs SLS print quality for yourself. We will send a free print sample directly to your office.
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Different 3D printing materials and processes have their own advantages and disadvantages that make them suitable for different scenarios. The following table provides a brief overview of some of the main features and factors to consider. nine0092
Poor detail
Limited conformance to design design
High cost of industrial devices if precision and high performance materials are required
Basic experimental models
Production of special end-use products using professional industrial devices and materials
Templates, molds and tooling
Dental products
Prototypes and molds for casting jewelry
Props and models
Small-scale production, production of limited trial runs, creation of products to order
High performance composite materials on high value industrial applications There are several 3D printing processes not only from plastics, but also from metals.
Metal FDM printers are similar in design to traditional FDM printers, but use extruded metal rods held in place by a resin binder. The finished models are in an intermediate state and then sintered in an oven to remove the binder.
SLM and DMLS printers are similar to SLS printers, but instead of polymer powders, they fuse metal powder particles layer by layer using a laser. 3D printers based on SLM and DMLS technologies can create strong, precise and complex metal products, making this process ideal for the aerospace, automotive and medical industries.
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Titanium is a light metal with excellent mechanical properties. It is strong, hard and highly resistant to heat, oxidation and acids. nine0003
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stainless steel has high strength, ductility and corrosion resistance.
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aluminum is a lightweight, durable, strong metal with good thermal properties.
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Tool Steel is a hard, scratch-resistant material that can be used to print end-use tools and other high-strength products. nine0003
- nickel alloys have high tensile, creep and tensile strength, as well as heat and corrosion resistance.
Compared to plastic 3D printing technologies, metal 3D printing is much more expensive and difficult, and therefore beyond the reach of most companies.
As an alternative to casting workflows that produce metal models cheaper and faster than traditional methods and provide greater design freedom, SLA 3D printing is well suited.
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Another alternative is galvanization of SLA printed models. It involves applying a layer of metal to plastic using electrolysis. This combines some of the best qualities of metal (strength, electrical conductivity, corrosion and abrasion resistance) with the special properties of the base (usually plastic) material.
Plastic 3D printing is well suited for creating templates that can be cast to produce metal models. nine0003
With so many materials and options available for 3D printing, making the right choice can be difficult.
We provide a 3-step process for selecting the right material for 3D printing.
Plastics used for 3D printing have different chemical, optical, mechanical and thermal characteristics that affect the properties of 3D printed models. As you move from the intended use case to the actual operating environment, the performance requirements increase accordingly. nine0003
| Requirement | Description | Recommendations |
|---|---|---|
| Low Efficiency | Example: Prototype mold for a ladle for ergonomic testing. | FDM PLA SLA: Standard Resins, Clear Resin (transparency), Draft Resin (fast) |
| Medium Efficiency | For validation or pre-production use, printed models should have properties as close as possible to those of final production models , for functional testing, but do not meet stringent requirements regarding service life. Example: housing for electronic components to protect against sudden impacts. Functional characteristics include the ability to absorb impact energy. In addition, the body must snap into place and retain its shape. nine0003 | FDM ABS SLA: Engineering Resins SLS: Nylon 11 Powder, Nylon 12 Powder, TPU |
| High Efficiency | Final 3D printed models need to be highly stable to achieve end use products to wear and tear over a certain period of time, whether it be a day, a week or several years. Example: shoe soles. Functional features include rigorous cycling and unloading life testing, color fastness over many years, and tear resistance, among other things. nine0003 | FDM Composites SLA: Engineering, Medical, Dental or Jewelry Resins SLS: Nylon 11 Powder, Nylon 12 Powder, TPU, Nylon Composites |
Other than surface quality, there are no performance requirements. nine0003 material requirements: material properties that will satisfy these requirements. These indicators are usually given in the technical specifications of the material. nine0003
| Requirement | Description | Recommendation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength | Resistance of material to fracture under tension. High tensile strength is important for structural, load-bearing, mechanical or static models. | FDM PLA SLA: Clear Resin, Rigid Resin SLS: Nylon 12 Powder, Nylon Composites | |
| Flex Modulus | Material resistance to bending under load. Indicates either rigidity (high value) or flexibility (low value) of the material. | FDM PLA (high), ABS (medium) SLA: Rigid Resin (high), Tough Resin and Durable Resin (medium), Flexible Resin and Elastic Resin (low) SLS: Nylon composite materials (high value), Nylon 12 Powder (medium value) | |
| Elongation | Material resistance to tensile failure. Allows you to compare the degree of stretching of flexible materials. It also indicates whether the material is stretched or immediately destroyed. nine0092 | FDM ABS (medium), TPU (high) SLA: Tough Resin and Durable Resin (medium), Flexible Resin and Elastic Resin (high) SLS: Nylon 12 Powder (medium), Nylon 11 Powder (medium), TPU (high) | |
| Impact strength | The ability of a material to absorb impact and its energy without breaking. Shows toughness and durability. Allows you to determine how easily the material breaks when it falls to the ground or collides with another object. nine0092 | FDM ABS, Nylon SLA: Tough 2000 Resin, Tough 1500 Resin, Gray Pro Resin, Durable Resin SLS: Nylon 12 Powder, Nylon 11 Powder a certain load. Indicates whether the material is suitable for high temperature applications. | SLA: High Temp Resin, Rigid Resin SLS: Nylon 12 Powder, Nylon composites |
| Hardness (durometer) | Material resistance to surface deformation. Allows you to determine the right degree of plasticity for soft plastics such as rubber and elastomers for a particular application. | FDM TPU SLA: Flexible Resin, Elastic Resin SLS: TPU | |
| Tear resistance | Material resistance to notching under tension. This indicator is important for evaluating the durability and wear resistance of soft plastics and flexible materials such as rubber. nine0092 | FDM TPU SLA: Flexible Resin, Elastic Resin, Durable Resin SLS: Nylon 11 Powder, TPU | |
| Creep | Creep is the tendency of a material to permanently deform under the influence of constant stress: tension or bending, compression, shear . Low creep indicates durability of hard plastics and is very important for structural models. | FDM ABS SLA: Rigid Resin SLS: Nylon 12 Powder, Nylon 9 composites0092 | |
| Compression set | Irreversible deformation after material compression. An important indicator for soft plastics and applications where flexibility is needed. Indicates whether the material will restore its original shape after the load is removed. | FDM TPU SLA: Flexible Resin, Elastic Resin SLS: TPU |
For more information on material properties, see our guide to the most common mechanical and thermal properties. nine0003
By converting performance characteristics into material requirements, you can most likely find out which material, or small group of materials, is right for your application.
If several materials meet your basic requirements, a broader range of desired characteristics, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of these materials and processes, can be considered for the final selection.
Use our interactive material wizard. It will help you select the right materials from our growing range of polymers for your application and the properties that matter most to you. Do you have specific questions about 3D printing materials? Contact our experts. nine0003
Get material recommendations
Read the 3D printing manual for high-strength PEEK material on the Tsvetnoy Mir website
If you're planning to 3D print with PEEK material, which is stronger than metal, then in our guide you will find everything you need to know about PEEK and the best 3D printers to work with this material.
What is PEEK and where is it used?
PEEK (polyetheretherketone) is one of the most common thermoplastics in manufacturing, and with good reason. PEEK can produce parts that are stronger and lighter than stainless steel and aluminum, with extremely high thermal, chemical and physical wear resistance. Parts made from this engineering material can be found in almost every industry.
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The British company Imperial Chemical Industries (today known as Victrex) introduced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) back in the 1980s. In its basic form, this material is a high purity semi-crystalline polymer containing repeating monomers of two ester groups and a ketone group.
PEEK belongs to the Polyaryletherketone (PAEK) family of polymers, which also includes PEKK (Polyetherketone ketone), but is superior because it can operate at higher temperatures and retain its excellent mechanical properties at continuous use temperatures up to 240°C (464°F) , which allows it to replace metal in harsh operating conditions. nine0003
PEEK is one of the few plastics that is compatible with UHV applications, making it suitable for the aerospace, automotive, and chemical industries.
PEEK is also ideal for electrical parts due to its electrical insulating properties and is widely used in applications requiring long-term pressure and wear resistance, such as in the oil and gas industry.
Combine the qualities of this plastic with the power of 3D printing, and you'll be able to create virtually any custom shape and intricate detail in a material that can withstand the harshest environments. It's no surprise that we're seeing more and more printed PEEK parts replacing metal in spacecraft, orthopedic implants, and even engine parts.
The demand for 3D printers that can work with this material is growing, prompting 3D equipment manufacturers to produce more affordable, large and easy-to-use industrial PEEK printers. nine0003
While PEEK is still one of the most expensive additive manufacturing polymers (but cheaper than most metals) and not easy to work with, it is now more affordable than ever.
PEEK 3D printer parameters
A spool of PEEK filament may look like any other 3D printing plastic, but not every printer is capable of printing with this material. The main condition for PEEK printing is the high operating temperatures of the printer.
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It is required not only to extrude PEEK with a high temperature extruder heating block (380+ ºC), but also to keep it hot with a heated table and a heated chamber. Heating the model during printing improves interlayer adhesion. Also, the heat must be constant and controlled, as how quickly you cool the part after printing also affects quality.
Here are a few more parameters that are important when choosing a 3D printer for PEEK printing:
- HEPA air filter for harmful vapors and particles
- Sealed chamber to keep heat from heating up your room and reducing temperatures in the print chamber
- Quick warm-up chamber for quick print preparation
- Printer with dual extruder allows printing of PEEK with dissolvable supports from other material, making it possible to print parts with complex geometries
- Built-in filament dryer keeps media ready for printing at all times
- Controlled cooling to prevent deformation
- High print speed
- Built-in video camera for continuous print monitoring
- Power failure protection that resumes printing where you left off
- Filament End Sensor
PEEK 3D printers
We will talk about the most affordable 3D printers in Russia that print with high-temperature materials, which include PEEK.
CreatBot F430
The CreatBot F430 is a versatile industrial printer designed to print on a wide range of materials including PEEK.
CreatBot F430 is equipped with a dual extruder: the left heating block, designed for printing solvent supports, supports heating up to 260 ºC, and the right heating block up to 420 ºC, it ensures a stable supply of high-temperature materials such as PEEK and ULTEM. The construction area is 400x300x300 mm, which is suitable for most production tasks. nine0003
The all-metal housing with sealed doors ensures that there are no unplanned temperature changes, and the built-in convector allows you to maintain a constant temperature of the entire volume of the print chamber up to 70 ºC.
It is also worth noting that CreatBot F430 has modern rich functionality, which significantly improves the quality and comfort of working with the printer: resuming printing, filament end sensor, automatic power off, BL-Touch table auto-calibration sensor, air filtration system, intuitive printer interface and others nine0003
CreatBot PEEK-300
CreatBot PEEK-300 is CreatBot's more advanced printing solution for PEEK and PEEK-based materials: PEKK, CF-PEEK (carbon fiber), GF-PEEK (glass fiber), and more.
CreatBot PEEK-300 also has a dual extruder, the maximum temperature of each heating block is 500 ºC. The printing table supports heating up to 200 ºC, and the convector is able to provide constant heating of the entire volume of the print chamber up to 120 ºC. The construction area is 300x300x400 mm. nine0003
Especially for the CreatBot PEEK-300, Direct Annealing Technology (DAS) was developed and patented, which heats the part during the printing process up to 400 ºC. This system eliminates the need to additionally bake the part after printing to obtain high strength characteristics. After printing is completed, the CreatBot PEEK-300 provides a fully finished part.
Due to the elevated operating temperatures, the CreatBot PEEK-300 uses an improved thermal insulation system using advanced insulation materials and vacuum boards. Also, for long-term operation at extreme temperatures, a liquid cooling system was built into the extruder, and stepper motors are air-cooled.
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PICASO 3D Designer X and Designer XL printer series
PICASO 3D's Designer X and Designer XL professional 3D printers use heating blocks with a maximum operating temperature of 410 ºC, and the maximum bed temperature in both cases is 150 ºC, which is suitable for printing most engineering materials, including PEEK. The main difference between the two printers is in the construction area: Designer X has 200x200x210mm, Designer XL has 360x360x610mm. nine0003
The all-metal housings of the printers are made of composite aluminum with doors made of heat-resistant plastic, so that a constant temperature is maintained in the print chamber during the printing process. Another significant plus of PICASO 3D printers for printing PEEK and engineering materials is the built-in filament dryer, so the material can be stored directly in the printer in a ready-to-print state. However, Designer X and Designer XL do not have chamber heaters, so consistent PEEK print results can only be obtained when printing small flat parts.
