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3D printer soft plastic
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
Can You 3D Print With Soft Plastic? The Surprising Answer – Printing It 3D
When we think of 3D printed objects, the first thing that comes to mind is often something small and hard.
That’s because most filaments harden as they cool and set, so your designs will be functional and durable. Although the most common 3D printing filaments, such as ABS and PLA, make solid and stiff objects, other filaments can maintain elasticity and offer a surprisingly supple stretch.
It’s possible to 3D print with soft plastic if you have the right filament, such as TPU and TPE. These flexible resins come in varying hardnesses and usually offer the strongest, softest, stretchiest 3D prints. Though most printers will print soft plastic, you may need to add a flexion extruder.
This article will tell you about soft plastic filaments and teach you how to identify them. I’ll also tell you about the challenges of printing with soft plastics and offer some pro tips on getting a perfect, smooth, flexible print.
Can You 3D Print Soft Plastics With Any 3D Printer?
Printing with flexible filaments is exciting and fun. However, if you haven’t worked with soft plastics before, you may find that they’re also quite challenging to work with.
Printing with soft plastics takes some specific settings and finesse, although it’s possible with almost any printer.
It’s possible to 3D print soft plastics with any 3D printer, although some specific extrusion models may have more difficulty printing flexible filaments. Be sure to check with your 3D printer manufacturer’s instructions before attempting to print soft plastics.
For example, Bowden tube 3D printers may have more challenges when printing with soft plastics. That’s because soft, flexible filament has the limpness of a wet spaghetti noodle. As a result, extruders may have difficulty pushing this slick filament out of the hot end, and if you use the wrong print settings and tension, you may end up with a jam or completely failed print.
However, when you print soft plastic filaments with a 3D printer, using a flexion extruder can help.
Extruders made for flexible filaments like this Diabase Flexion-Rep2 (available on Amazon.
com) are fantastic for getting high-quality, soft 3D prints from any extrusion printer. They have grippier parts in the extruder, helping to keep the filament flowing evenly.
So, if you want to print with soft plastics regularly, getting an extruder that can handle slick, flexible filaments will surely pay off in the end.
In addition, the only other major constraint when using an extrusion printer is the hot end temperature when considering a filament. Try to choose a filament that melts at a temperature that your printer can achieve.
How Can You Tell if a 3D Printing Filament Is Soft?
Determining the softness of a filament is a lot more challenging than it seems at face value.
Most filaments are rated on the Shore durometer scale, which measures how well a material “bounces back” after pressing a hard, pointy sensor into its surface.
So, the Shore durometer value measures both how flexible the material is and how well it holds up to stress.
This measurement uses a number and letter rating to measure how soft, flexible, and durable a polymer or plastic is. The lower the number and letter rating, the softer the filament.
To tell if a 3D printing filament is soft, check its Shore durometer rating. Most filaments either have a 00, A, or D hardness on the Shore durometer scale. 00 materials are the softest, A-level materials are of medium-softness, and D-level materials are generally more rigid.
However, this measurement gets more complicated with the addition of numerical ratings. For example, this Gizmo Dorks Flexible TPU Filament (available on Amazon.com) has a Shore durometer of 95A. That means it has similar flexibility to hard skateboard wheels or grocery-cart wheels.
However, the Dialabs X60, the softest filament on the market today, has a Shore hardness of 60A. That means it has the same hardness as a tire tread or hard rubber eraser.
So, always check out the filament or resin’s shore hardness before you buy it to determine whether it’ll achieve the softness you want from your 3D print.
The Best Soft Plastic Filaments and Resins for 3D Printing
Let’s look at some of the best soft plastic filaments. I’ll also give you a ballpark range of Shore durometer ratings and melting temperatures, but please remember that each product’s specs will vary depending on the manufacturer.
- TPU is a fantastic filament for stretchy, flexible items. Although it’s soft, it’s also incredibly durable, and I’ve even had success with printing epoxy resin molds from this filament. Its Shore hardness usually ranges from 60A to 75D, and it has an average melting temp of 185º to 220ºC (365º to 428ºF).
- TPE is one of the softest filaments, with its average Shore hardness falling between 75A to 98A. It has a rubber-like consistency and usually melts at a temp of 190º to 250ºC (374º to 482ºF).
- SLA, DLP, and LCD Flexible Resins. Soft plastics aren’t just for extrusion printers! 3D printing resins can achieve outstanding softnesses of as low as 30A, but they can also reach incredible hardnesses.
Other materials such as nylon and polyester may also be flexible, so keep an eye out for Shore hardness ratings next time you’re shopping for filament.
Tips for Printing With Soft Plastics
- Slow down the print speed. It takes a while for your extruder to feed flexible, slippery filaments into the hot end. So, slow down your print speed by about half to keep a steady flow of filament coming out.
- Disable printer retraction. Refraction is a setting that lifts the nozzle from the print, reducing the chances of forming bubbles or over-extruded artifact spots. However, when printing with slimy, stretchy filaments, retraction won’t help since the melted filament will stretch more, leaving lumps in your print.
- Create a seamless design. Reducing the number of times your nozzle will jump from spot to spot can reduce stringing and potential artifact spots. So, try to give your print a seamless design that your printer can recreate without lifting the nozzle at all.
- Bake prints to reduce stringing. Soft plastics are stretchy and stringy, which often means you’ll have stringing and noticeable layer lines on your models. Bake your printed object in the oven at a low temperature (about half of the filament’s melting point) for about an hour to reduce these minor errors.
For more tips, be sure to check out this fantastic video from Maker’s Muse on YouTube:
Final Thoughts
It’s possible to 3D print with soft plastic, and there are many soft filaments and resins you can use. They all have different Shore hardness ratings, so go with the lowest number and an A or 00 rating to find the softest one.
When printing with soft plastics, be sure to adjust your printer settings and optimize your design since some extrusion printers may have difficulty handling softer filaments.
Content
-
- Pla
- ABS
- HIPS
- PVA
- Petg
- SBS 9000
Every year 3D printing becomes more popular and accessible. Previously, a 3D printer was more like a complex CNC machine, but now manufacturers are meeting users. Simplified and automated settings that many beginners drove into a stupor. Despite this, it can be difficult for a novice user to understand the variety of constantly appearing plastics for a 3D printer.
The choice of plastic for a 3D printer is very important, especially when the goal is to print a functional model with certain properties. It will be a shame if the printed gear breaks almost immediately, or the decorative model quickly loses its beauty.
It is important to understand whether the printer will be able to work with the selected plastic. Some materials (most often engineering) require certain conditions for successful printing.
First, decide which model you want to print. What properties should it have? Does the model need to be durable? Or is it a master model for further replication, in which the quality of the surface is important?
90% of 3D printers use 1.75 diameter filament. 3mm diameter is rare, but it is better to check in advance which size is used in your printer.
PLA
PLA (Polylactide) is the most popular and affordable 3D printer plastic. PLA is made from sugar cane, corn, or other natural raw materials. Therefore, it is considered a non-toxic, biodegradable material.
Extruder temperature - 190-220 degrees. Table heating is not needed, but if the printer's table has a "heater" for better adhesion, you can heat it up to 50-60 degrees. PLA is very easy to work with. The only requirement is to blow the model. There is practically no shrinkage in this material. When printed, it is practically odorless, and if it smells, it smells like burnt caramel.
Pros:
-
Does not shrink. This makes it easy to build prefabricated or huge models without changing dimensions.
-
There are no specific requirements for a 3D printer. Any working 3D printer will do. PLA doesn't need a heated table or a closed case.
-
Non-toxic. Due to this, during printing it does not smell or has a barely perceptible aroma of burnt caramel.
-
Diverse color palette.
Cons:
-
PLA is poorly sanded and machined.
-
It begins to deform already with a slight heating (about 50 degrees).
-
Fragility. Compared to other materials, PLA is very brittle and breaks easily.
-
Decomposes under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. Of course, it will not fall apart into dust, but it can become more brittle and fade.
PLA is perfect for making dimensional or composite models.
For example, decorative interior items, prototyping, electronics cases, etc.
Recently, PLA+ has appeared on the market. It may differ from conventional PLA in improved performance. For example, more durable, with improved layer adhesion.
Dummy turbine
Decorative coasters
ABS
ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) is the second most popular plastic for 3D printing due to its properties, availability and low price.
Extruder temperature - 220-240 degrees. The temperature of the table is 80-100 degrees. For printing, a heated table is required at the printer. It is desirable to have a closed chamber, because ABS "does not like" drafts. Due to a sharp temperature drop, it can “unstick” from the table or crack in layers. ABS can smell bad when printing, so it is recommended to use the printer with a closed chamber and filters, or print in a well-ventilated area.
Pros:
-
Good strength characteristics allow the production of functional prototypes from ABS.
-
Simple mechanical and chemical processing. ABS is easy to sand and drill, and with an acetone bath you can achieve a perfectly smooth surface.
-
It is currently the most inexpensive type of plastic for 3D printing.
-
Large selection of colors and shades.
Cons:
-
High shrinkage. Because of this, it can be problematic to manufacture overall products.
-
Printing requires a heated bed and a closed chamber. Without this, the ABS may peel off the table or crack in layers.
-
During the printing process, ABS can smell bad. Therefore, it is recommended that you print in a ventilated area or use the printer with a sealed chamber and filter.
ABS is an engineering plastic.
It is suitable for the manufacture of simple functional products.
ABS after chemical treatment in an acetone bath
RU model made of ABS
ABS+ differs from conventional ABS in improved strength characteristics (elasticity, rigidity, hardness), less shrinkage and sometimes resistance to certain oils and solvents (eg gasoline).
HIPS
HIPS (high impact polystyrene) - originally conceived as a soluble support plastic for materials with high printing temperatures. For example for ABS or Nylon.
The extruder temperature is 230-260 degrees. The temperature of the table is 80-100 degrees. It is desirable to have a closed camera for a 3D printer.
Pros:
-
Less shrinkage than ABS.
-
Ease of machining.
-
The matte surface looks very advantageous on decorative products.
-
Food contact allowed (but be sure to check with a specific manufacturer for certificates)
Cons:
-
For printing, you need a printer with a heated table and a closed chamber.
-
More flexible and less durable than ABS. Because of this, it will not be possible to produce functional products.
-
Small palette of colors.
Most often, HIPS is used for its intended purpose for printing on 2x extruder printers as a support for ABS. It dissolves perfectly (though not very quickly) in limonel.
Sometimes HIPS is used as an independent material. Products from it are not very durable, but this plastic is loved for easy post-processing. HIPS can be used for models that will subsequently come into contact with food (not hot).
Using HIPS as a Soluble Support
Decorative vase made of HIPS
PVA
PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) is a material that was developed as a water-soluble support for PLA.
Extruder temperature - 190-210. Table heating is not required. PVA is a slightly "capricious" material, it is not recommended to overheat it and print at high speeds.
PVA is very hygroscopic and dissolves in plain water. Therefore, it is only used as a support for PLA or other plastics with print temperatures close to PVA.
Soluble PVA Support
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PETG
PETG (polyethylene terephthalate) combines the best properties of PLA and ABS.
It is easy to work with, it has a low percentage of shrinkage and excellent sintering of the layers.
Extruder temperature - 220-240 degrees. Table temperature - 80-100 degrees. During the printing process, the model must be well blown.
Pros:
-
Excellent sinterability of layers.
-
PETG is very strong and wear resistant. Good impact resistance.
-
Virtually no smell when printing.
-
Non-toxic.
-
Little shrinkage.
Cons:
PETG is perfect for printing functional models. Due to its low shrinkage, it is often used to make large or composite models. Due to its low toxicity, PETG is often used for products that will come into contact with food.
Cookie cutters and patterned rolling pin
SBS
It is a highly transparent material. At the same time, it is durable and resilient.
SBS is a low toxicity plastic. It can be used to print food contact models.
Extruder temperature - 230 -260 degrees. Table temperature - 60-100 degrees. You can print without the closed case on the printer.
Pros:
-
slight shrinkage
-
Transparency. After treatment with solvent, limonel or dichloromethane, beautiful transparent products with an almost smooth surface can be obtained.
-
Easily processed mechanically or chemically.
-
Allowed contact with food.
Cons:
SBS is excellent for translucent vases, children's toys and food containers. Or functional things that require transparency, such as custom turn signals for a motorcycle or car, lamps or bottle prototypes.
Vases are perfectly printed with a thick nozzle (0.7-0.8) in one pass (printing in 1 wall or spiral printing in a slicer).
Models of bottles after chemical treatment
Nylon
Nylon (polyamide) is considered the most durable material available for home 3D printing. In addition to good abrasion resistance and strength, it has a high slip coefficient.
Extruder temperature - 240-260 degrees. The temperature of the table is 80-100 degrees. Nylon is a very capricious and hygroscopic material - it is recommended to dry the coil with plastic before use. For printing, you need a printer with a heated table and a closed chamber, without this it will be difficult to print something larger than a small gear.
Pros:
-
High strength and wear resistance.
-
High slip factor.
-
Heat resistance compared to other 3D printing plastics.
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High resistance to many solvents.
-
Good for mechanical processing.
Perfectly polished and drilled.
Cons:
Nylon is perfect for making wear-resistant parts - gears, functional models, etc. Sometimes nylon is used to print bushings.
Nylon gear
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Soft plastics
FLEX (TPU, TPE, TPC) is a material similar to silicone or rubber. It is flexible and elastic, but at the same time tear-resistant. For example, TPE is a rubbery plastic, while TPU is more rigid.
FLEX are printed at a temperature of 200-240 (depending on the material). A heated table is not required. On printers with direct material feed (feed mechanism on the print head), there are usually no problems with printing. On a bowden feeder (the feed mechanism is located on the body), printing with very soft plastics can be difficult. Usually it is necessary to additionally adjust the clamping of the bar. The main nuance is the very low print speeds - 20-40mm.
Pros:
Cons:
Depending on the type of FLEXa, the models can be flexible or rubber-like. This material, depending on its softness, can be used to print gaskets, insoles, belts, tracks or other models that require flexibility or softness.
FLEX belt
Trainers with flexible soles
Wheel for switchgear model
Decorative plastics
Decorative plastics are PLA plastics with various fillers (wood or metal shavings).
Or with dyes selected to imitate different materials. Since the base of the plastic is PLA, it is very easy to print.
Extruder temperature - 200-220 degrees (depending on the manufacturer). A heated table is not required.
Pros:
Cons:
-
Some fillers (eg clay) are abrasive. For such plastics, the standard brass nozzle cannot be used. Will have to buy a harder steel nozzle.
-
Some decorative plastics can clog the small nozzle (0.4 or less). For them, you need to use a “thicker” nozzle.
Depending on the filler, different material properties are obtained. Plastics that use only dye do not require additional processing. Materials with "fillers" may sometimes require additional post-processing.
Plastics with metal fillers after printing must be processed with a metal brush. Then the Metal content will show through and the model will resemble a metal casting.
Plastics with metallic powder
These plastics are often used for printing key chains, decorative models and interior details.
If the plastic has a high content of wood dust, then it is recommended to use a larger nozzle diameter (0.5 or more), a smaller nozzle can quickly become clogged during printing.
Wood-filled plastic ground
Plastic key rings with copper dust
Engineering plastics
These are nylon-based plastics with fillers that improve strength, heat-resistant and other characteristics, help to achieve less shrinkage of the material. For example - carbon fiber, carbon fiber or fiberglass.
Extruder temperature - 240-300 degrees (depending on the manufacturer). Table temperature - 90-110 degrees. Since plastics are based on nylon, the requirements for printing are similar. This is a heated table and a closed printer case.
Pros:
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Hardness and strength.
-
Low flammability or non-combustibility.
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High precision due to low shrinkage.
Cons:
3D printers use brass nozzles, some plastics can quickly “waste” it during printing. For such materials it is recommended to use steel nozzles.
These are highly specialized plastics used for a specific task, depending on the filler. For example, functional parts that do not lose their shape when heated, are resistant to many solvents, etc.
Functional Carbon Fiber Composite Prototype
Composite frame
Polycarbonate ashtray
Totals
This is of course not the whole list of materials for 3D printing. There are many highly specialized engineering and decorative plastics for specific tasks.
Manufacturers are constantly trying to replenish the range of materials for 3D printing. Already familiar materials are improved for more comfortable printing. There are many interesting decorative plastics imitating different materials - ceramics, clay, wood, metals.
And of course, the assortment of engineering plastics is constantly updated. Now there are many interesting materials for highly specialized tasks - for example, burnable plastic with a low ash content for subsequent casting in metal.
Burnout plastic
Before buying a coil, read the information on the website of the manufacturer or seller. There you can find some nuances of printing for a particular plastic. The manufacturer indicates the recommended temperature range on the box. Sometimes, for quality printing, it is recommended to print several tests to adjust the temperature settings, retract, etc.
Try to store the started coil in silica gel bags.
It is recommended to additionally dry high-temperature plastics before printing to remove excess moisture.
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Plastics for 3D printer. Comparing the characteristics of plastics for a 3D printer.
Hello everyone, Friends! With you 3DTool!
Plastics for 3 D printer. Guide to the types of plastics and their characteristics.
In this article, we will compare the main filaments for 3D printing by properties - PLA , ABS , PET , Nylon , TPU (Flexible) and PC and help you find the best option for those other tasks.
Introduction
Choosing the right type of plastic for 3D printing objects is becoming increasingly difficult as radical new materials regularly enter the 3D printed market. In FDM 3D printing, PLA and ABS have historically been the two main polymers used, but their initial dominance could be said to be accidental. Therefore, for other polymers in general, there are no major barriers to play their role in the future of FDM technology.
Now we see that new types of filament are becoming more and more popular, both pure polymers and composites. In this study, we will focus on the main pure polymers that exist on the market today: PLA , ABS , PET , Nylon , TPU (Flexible) and PC . We summarize the key differences between their properties so users can quickly decide which polymer is best for their job.
Methodology
3D printer filaments are generally classified into 3 categories: mechanical properties , visual quality and post-processing .
Next, we break down these categories to paint a clearer picture of the properties of polymers. The choice of material depends on what the user wants to print, so here are the key criteria needed to select the material, in addition to cost:
-
Ease of printing : How easy it is to print with plastic: adhesion between layers, maximum print speed, scrap rate, print accuracy, ease of feeding into the printer, etc.
-
Visual Quality : How good the finished model looks.
-
Maximum Loads : The maximum stress an object can experience before breaking when slowly pulled.
-
Stretch to Break : Maximum length of an object stretched to break.
-
Impact resistance : The energy required to break an object on a sudden impact.
-
Adhesion between layers (isotropy): how good the adhesion between layers of material is.
This is due to "isotropy" (homogeneity in all directions). The better the adhesion of the layer, the more isotropic the object will be. -
Heat resistance : The maximum temperature an object can withstand before it softens and warps.
These properties are neither " good " nor " bad " per se; they are just properties that suit their application. For example, hardness.
We do not have an exact quantitative estimate, but we can say that this is an important factor. There are also parameters such as moisture resistance or toxicity.
PLA
PLA is the easiest resin to print and provides good visual quality in the resulting parts. It is quite hard, but in fact it is very brittle and not suitable for use in working mechanisms.
| Pluses | Cons |
| biodegradable | Absorbs moisture |
| Has no smell | Not easy to glue |
| Suitable for processing sanding paper and painting with acrylic paints | |
| UV resistant |
ABS plastic
ABS is usually selected over PLA when higher temperature resistance and higher strength are required.
| Pluses | Cons |
| Can be treated with acetone vapor for a glossy finish | UV sensitivity |
| Can be processed with sanding paper and painted with acrylic paints | Odor when printing |
| Acetone can also be used as a strong adhesive | Potentially high smoke emissions |
| Good abrasion resistance |
Plastic PET
PET is a softer polymer that has more interesting properties, but with some significant drawbacks.
| Pluses | Cons |
| Can make contact with food | work with it material is heavier than PLA or ABS |
| moisture resistance | |
| High chemical resistance | |
| Recycled | |
| Good fur. | |
| Can be processed sanding paper and paint with acrylic paints |
influences
Plastic Nylon ( Nylon)
Nylon has excellent mechanical properties and in particular better impact resistance for a non-flexible filament. But problems can arise, and will certainly arise, if special glue is not taken care of, both with adhesion to the platform and between layers.
| Pluses | Cons |
| Good chemical resistance | Absorbs moisture |
| Great strength | Potentially high smoke emissions |
Plastic TPU
TPU is a flexible plastic.
It is mainly used in parts that require elasticity, but its very high impact resistance can be used for other applications as well.
| Pluses | Cons |
| Good abrasion resistance | Difficult to expose post-processing |
| Good resistance to oils and fats | Difficult to glue |
Plastic Polycarbonate ( PC)
PC is a very durable material and can be an interesting alternative ABS . Their properties are quite similar.
| Pluses | Cons |
| Easy to process (grinding) | UV sensitive |
Conclusion
Choosing the right plastic for 3d printer is critical to getting the right properties of the 3D printed part, especially if you need to use it functionally in mechanisms etc.
