What material does the 3d printer use

• Plastic is still the most popular material used for 3D printing.
• As the 3D-printing market value increases, the list of what materials can be used also grows.
• Raw materials such as metal, graphite, and carbon fiber are commonly used for 3D printing, though at-home use is mostly limited to PLA for now.

Ice cream. Molecules for medicine. Even human skin. The list of what materials are used in 3D printing grows longer—and much more interesting—by the day. And expanding it is a multibillion-dollar material arms race right now.

A recently released 3D-printing market study found that the worldwide market for 3D-printing products was valued at $12. 6 billion in 2020 and was expected to grow to $37.2 billion by 2036. That means a huge increase in the materials those machines use.

What Is The Most Common Material Used for 3D Printing?

Plastic still reigns supreme in the 3D printing. According to a Grand View Research report, the market size for 3D printing plastics globally was valued at $638.7 million in 2020 and was expected to grow to $2.83 billion by 2027.

This material isn’t just your “everyday” plastic. Two types of plastic are most commonly used in 3D printing:

• PLA: Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) is the most popular 3D-printing material. It’s a biodegradable plastic made from renewables such as cornstarch. Its low melting point makes it easy to use at home.
• ABS: Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is best suited for parts that require strength and flexibility, like car components or household appliances. It’s also known for its low cost.

But it doesn’t stop there in the 3D-printing materials world.

1. Metal

Used for: Ready-to-install parts, finished products, prototypes

If there is a runner-up to plastic, it would be metal. Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) is the technique and, unlike printing plastics, it can be used to make either a finished industrial product or a prototype. The aviation industry is already an early proponent and consumer of DMLS printing to streamline operations and manufacture ready-to-install parts. There are even already mass-market DMLS printers for creating 3D-printed jewelry.

The growth and popularity of 3D printing metals holds the potential to manufacture and create more effective machine parts that currently cannot be mass-produced onsite. This could lead to better conductors, tensile strength, and other attributes of laboratory metals than “mined-and-refined” metals such as steel and copper.

In the aerospace industry, the materials question is largely answered, and creating volume of parts is the Holy Grail. GE Aviation began printing fuel nozzles for its LEAP jet engine in 2016, ramping up to 30,000 parts in less than three years and printing its 100,000th nozzle in 2021. The LEAP’s successor, the RISE, will also incorporate 3D-printed parts.

Used for: Electronics, lighting

Australian-listed graphite and nickel miner Kibaran Resources has partnered with 3D-printing company 3D Group to share development costs on a research-and-development venture called 3D Graphtech Industries.

The partnership is pursuing patents to investigate 3D printing graphite and graphene, a pure form of carbon first created in a laboratory in 2004. Graphene conducts electricity better and is stronger, easier to insulate, and lighter than other conductors on the market today. It outperforms even the best conductors several times over. Because it must be created in a lab, it is a good case study for just what kind of mass production of metals additive manufacturing can accomplish.

Materials for research and development are sourced from Kibaran’s Tanzanian mines, where graphite with high crystallinity and a purity of 99.9% carbon has been found. This is incredibly well-suited to the production of graphene.

The semiconductor industry is interested in producing large quantities of graphene, as well. For example, IBM found a way to use it for LED lighting in 2014. The ability to 3D print sheets of material for use in LEDs could seriously cut lighting production costs.

Used for: Bearings, parts, electrical cable installation

Related to graphite, carbon fiber (which undergoes an oxidation process that stretches the polymer) can be added to the more traditional plastic to create a composite that can be as strong as steel but less intensive to use than aluminum, says Markforged. The company’s large-format 3D printers are designed to print stronger parts more quickly and at significantly lower costs.

Meanwhile, startup Impossible Objects has also been exploring carbon fiber, as well as glass, Kevlar, and fiberglass. The company’s printer can also work with PEEK (polyether ether ketone) thermoplastic polymers, which are typically used for bearings, piston parts, and electrical cable installation.

New 3D Printing Materials

The 3D-printing industry is experimenting with a wide variety of innovative, novel approaches such a bio-based resins made from corn and soybean oil, powders, nitinol, and even paper.

As the list of materials grows, what does this mean for the actual hardware? Right now, on the consumer level, plastic is about as good as it gets. For example, the $1,399 Dremel 3D40 Flex is limited to PLA.

Today, several printers are focused entirely on DMLS, including the 3DSystems DMP Flex 350 and several models from Stratasys, but these currently cost upward of $100,000 each because DMLS printers burn much hotter than their plastic counterparts, as the powders and metals they create have higher melting points. Stronger housings and more powerful industrial smelting tools increase their costs significantly.

Although many 3D-printer manufacturers are offering metal 3D-printing services, it will be some time before the economies of scale that helped bring down the cost of plastic 3D printing affect the DMLS market. And 3D-printing systems with graphite/carbon fiber are just now starting to gain traction in the marketplace.

The diversity of applications that industries are exploring for 3D printing makes for an exciting but tumultuous time. From jet parts to lighting to rapid prototyping, the new (and “old”) 3D printing materials will deliver even more opportunities for how and what industries print.

This article has been updated. It was originally published in November 2014.

About the Author

Jeff Yoders has covered IT, CAD, and BIM for Building Design + Construction, Structural Engineer, and CE News magazines. He has won six American Society of Business Publications Editors awards and was part of the reporting team for the 2012 Jesse H. Neal Award for best subject-related series of stories.

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What Materials Are Used in the 3D Printing Process?

The materials used for 3D printing are as diverse as the products that result from the process. As such, 3D printing is flexible enough to allow manufacturers to determine the shape, texture and strength of a product. Best of all, these qualities can be achieved with far fewer steps than what is typically required in traditional means of production. Moreover, these products can be made with various types of 3D printing materials.

In order for a 3D print to be realized in the form of a finished product, a detailed image of the design in question must first be submitted to the printer. The details are rendered in standard triangle language (STL), which conveys the intricacies and dimensions of a given design and allows a computerized 3D printer to see a design from all sides and angles.

Basically, an STL design is the equivalent of multiple flat designs in one computerized file.

The industry for 3D printing is expected to surpass the 10-figure mark in the near future and plastic is set to be the main material to drive this market. As concluded recently in a SmarTech Markets Publishing study, the market for 3D printing is likely to exceed $1.4 billion before 2020. With an ongoing market expansion, the industry has sought new ways to yield plastics, including the use of organic ingredients like soybean oil and corn. Consequently, plastics are set to become the most environmentally friendly option in 3D printing.

Plastic

Out of all the raw materials for 3D printing in use today, plastic is the most common. Plastic is one of the most diverse materials for 3D-printed toys and household fixtures. Products made with this technique include desk utensils, vases and action figures. Available in transparent form as well as bright colors — of which red and lime green are particularly popular — plastic filaments are sold on spools and can have either a matte or shiny texture.

With its firmness, flexibility, smoothness and bright range of color options, the appeal of plastic is easy to understand. As a relatively affordable option, plastic is generally light on the pocketbooks of creators and consumers alike.

Plastic products are generally made with FDM printers, in which thermoplastic filaments are melted and molded into shape, layer by layer. The types of plastic used in this process are usually made from one of the following materials:

• Polyastic acid (PLA): One of the eco-friendliest options for 3D printers, polyastic acid is sourced from natural products like sugar cane and corn starch and is therefore biodegradable. Available in soft and hard forms, plastics made from polyastic acid are expected to dominate the 3D printing industry in the coming years. Hard PLA is the stronger and therefore more ideal material for a broader range of products.
• Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS): Valued for its strength and safety, ABS is a popular option for home-based 3D printers. Alternately referred to as “LEGO plastic,” the material consists of pasta-like filaments that give ABS its firmness and flexibility. ABS is available in various colors that make the material suitable for products like stickers and toys. Increasingly popular among craftspeople, ABC is also used to make jewelry and vases.
• Polyvinyl Alcohol Plastic (PVA): Used in low-end home printers, PVA is a suitable plastic for support materials of the dissolvable variety. Though not suitable for products that require high strength, PVA can be a low-cost option for temporary-use items.
• Polycarbonate (PC): Less frequently used than the aforementioned plastic types, polycarbonate only works in 3D printers that feature nozzle designs and that operate at high temperatures. Among other things, polycarbonate is used to make low-cost plastic fasteners and molding trays.

Plastic items made in 3D printers come in a variety of shapes and consistencies, from flat and round to grooved and meshed. A quick search of Google images will show a novel range of 3D-printed plastic products such as mesh bracelets, cog wheels and Incredible Hulk action figures. For the home craftsperson, polycarbonate spools can now be purchased in bright colors at most supply stores.

Powders

Today’s more state-of-the-art 3D printers use powdered materials to construct products. Inside the printer, the powder is melted and distributed in layers until the desired thickness, texture and patterns are made. The powders can come from various sources and materials, but the most common are:

• Polyamide (Nylon): With its strength and flexibility, polyamide allows for high levels of detail on a 3D-printed product. The material is especially suited for joining pieces and interlocking parts in a 3D-printed model. Polyamide is used to print everything from fasteners and handles to toy cars and figures.
• Alumide: Comprised of a mix of polyamide and gray aluminum, alumide powder makes for some of the strongest 3D-printed models. Recognized by its grainy and sandy appearance, the powder is reliable for industrial models and prototypes.

In powder form, materials like steel, copper and other types of metal are easier to transport and mold into desired shapes. As with the various types of plastic used in 3D printing, metal powder must be heated to the point where it can be distributed layer-by-layer to form a completed shape.

Resins

One of the more limiting and therefore less-used materials in 3D printing is resin. Compared to other 3D-applicable materials, resin offers limited flexibility and strength. Made of liquid polymer, resin reaches its end state with exposure to UV light. Resin is generally found in black, white and transparent varieties, but certain printed items have also been produced in orange, red, blue and green.

The material comes in the following three categories:

• High-detail resins: Generally used for small models that require intricate detail. For example, four-inch figurines with complex wardrobe and facial details are often printed with this grade of resin.
• Paintable resin: Sometimes used in smooth-surface 3D prints, resins in this class are noted for their aesthetic appeal. Figurines with rendered facial details, such as fairies, are often made of paintable resin.
• Transparent resin: This is the strongest class of resin and therefore the most suitable for a range of 3D-printed products. Often used for models that must be smother to the touch and transparent in appearance.

Transparent resins of clear and colored varieties are used to make figurines, chess pieces, rings and small household accessories and fixtures.

Metal

The second-most-popular material in the industry of 3D printing is metal, which is used through a process known as direct metal laser sintering or DMLS. This technique has already been embraced by manufacturers of air-travel equipment who have used metal 3D printing to speed up and simplify the construction of component parts.

DMLS printers have also caught on with makers of jewelry products, which can be produced much faster and in larger quantities — all without the long hours of painstakingly detailed work — with 3D printing.

Metal can produce a stronger and arguably more diverse array of everyday items. Jewelers have used steel and copper to produce engraved bracelets on 3D printers. One of the main advantages of this process is that the engraving work is handled by the printer. As such, bracelets can be finished by the box-load in just a few mechanically programmed steps that do not involve the hands-on labor that engraving work once required.

The technology for metal-based 3D printing is also opening doors for machine manufacturers to ultimately use DMLS to produce at speeds and volumes that would be impossible with current assembly equipment. Supporters of these developments believe 3D printing would allow machine-makers to produce metal parts with strength superior to conventional parts that consist of refined metals.

In the meantime, the use of 3D parts is taking flight in the aerospace industry. In what has been the most ambitious push of its kind, GE Aviation plans to print engine injectors at an annual rate of 35,000 units by 2020.

The range of metals that are applicable to the DMLS technique is just as diverse as the various 3D printer plastic types:

• Stainless-steel: Ideal for printing out utensils, cookware and other items that could ultimately come into contact with water.
• Bronze: Can be used to make vases and other fixtures.
• Gold: Ideal for printed rings, earrings, bracelets and necklaces.
• Nickel: Suitable for the printing of coins.
• Aluminum: Ideal for thin metal objects.
• Titanium: The preferred choice for strong, solid fixtures.

In the printing process, metal is utilized in dust form. The metal dust is fired to attain its hardness. This allows printers to bypass casting and make direct use of metal dust in the formation of metal parts. Once the printing has completed, these parts can then be electro-polished and released to the market.

Metal dust is most often used to print prototypes of metal instruments, but it has also been used to produce finished, marketable products such as jewelry. Powderized metal has even been used to make medical devices.

When metal dust is used for 3D printing, the process allows for a reduced number of parts in the finished product. For example, 3D printers have produced rocket injectors that consist of just two parts, whereas a similar device welded in the traditional manner will typically consist of more than 100 individual pieces.

Carbon Fiber

Composites such as carbon fiber are used in 3D printers as a top-coat over plastic materials. The purpose is to make the plastic stronger. The combination of carbon fiber over plastic has been used in the 3D printing industry as a fast, convenient alternative to metal. In the future, 3D carbon fiber printing is expected to replace the much slower process of carbon-fiber layup.

With the use of conductive carbomorph, manufacturers can reduce the number of steps required to assemble electromechanical devices.

Graphite and Graphene

Graphene has become a popular choice for 3D printing because of its strength and conductivity. The material is ideal for device parts that need to be flexible, such as touchscreens. Graphene is also used for solar panels and building parts. Proponents of the graphene option claim it is one of the most flexible of 3D-applicable materials.

The use of graphene in printing received its largest boost through a partnership between the 3D Group and Kibaran Resources, an Australian mining company. The pure carbon, which was first discovered in 2004, has proven to be the most electrically conductive material in laboratory tests. Graphene is light yet strong, which makes it the suitable material for a range of products.

Nitinol

As a common material in medical implants, nitinol is valued in the 3D printing world for its super-elasticity. Made from a mixture of nickel and titanium, nitinol can bend to considerable degrees without breaking. Even if folded in half, the material can be restored to its original shape. As such, nitinol is one of the strongest materials with flexible qualities. For the production of medical products, nitinol allows printers to accomplish things that would otherwise be impossible.

Paper

Designs can be printed on paper with 3D technology to achieve a far more realistic prototype than a flat illustration. When a design is presented for approval, the 3D-printed model allows the presenter to convey the essence of the design with greater detail and accuracy. This makes the presentation far more compelling, as it gives a more vivid sense of the engineering realities should the design be taken to fruition.

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What material does the 3D printer print with? Plastic for 3d printer.

Layer-by-layer printing of three-dimensional models is made from a variety of materials, be it plastic, concrete or metal, and even hydrogel, chocolate and living cells.

For 3D printing, the use of ABS plastic is most optimal. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (official name ABC plastic ) is valued for the absence of foreign smell, toxicity, in addition, it is impact resistant, flexible and elastic. The material begins to melt from 240 to 248 degrees Celsius. Plastic goes on sale in a powdered state, or in the form of bobbins with plastic threads wound around them. Despite the fact that plastic does not tolerate direct sunlight, models made from it are famous for their durability. Plastic for a 3D printer can be bought in our online store.

Unlike ABC plastic, which models are opaque, acrylic is used to create transparent objects. But acrylic is more capricious in the process of use: the melting point of acrylic is reached later, which means that it will take more time and energy to heat up, and at the same time it quickly cools and hardens. The very process of manufacturing the product is laborious, since heated acrylic contains a lot of air bubbles that can distort the finished product.

Concrete applied for 3D printing , improved, and has a formula that differs from the formula of conventional cement by 5%. The “printing” of a residential building with an area of ​​230 m2 on a 3D printer will take no more than 20 hours, during which it carefully “lays out” building blocks and structures from concrete.

The use of hydrogel for 3D printing was successfully tested by scientists from the University of Illinois, who used a 3D printer to print miniature (5-10 mm) biorobots. Living cells isolated from the tissue of the heart muscle were placed on them, which, spreading through the hydrogel, set the biorobot in motion. The speed of such a biorobot is 236 µm/s. As planned by scientists, in the future, with the help of such biorobots, tumors and toxins in the body will be detected and neutralized, and they will also be used to deliver medications to diseased human organs.

There are 3D printers that use ordinary office paper as a material. Pre-cut layers of paper are applied one on top of the other and attached with glue. Paper models are cheap enough that they are accessible to users, but at the same time, paper models are not durable and not aesthetically pleasing. Models created in this way are ideal for prototyping in computer projects.

Gypsum used for 3D printing is a fragile, short-lived material, but at the same time it has a low cost. Therefore, models made of plaster are mainly suitable for presentations, perfectly conveying the shape, structure and size of the original product. The resistance of gypsum to heat treatment makes it possible to use it in the foundry as samples for casting.

Fans of natural wood and products made from it will also enjoy 3D printing, as there is a specially designed “wood” fiber that contains wood and a polymer, and its properties are similar to polyactide (PLA). Outwardly looking like natural wooden models with the smell of fresh wood, they are quite strong and durable. Currently, the material can only be used in the RepRap self-replicating printers.

3D printing with ice is perhaps the most exotic way of making small figures today. The temperature at which the figures are printed is quite low and is -22 degrees Celsius, and the printing material is water and methyl alcohol heated to 20 degrees Celsius.

The pleasant soft sheen and high strength of the metal are far ahead in quality of any plastic used in 3D printing, therefore light and precious metal powders are successfully used in this area. Copper, aluminum and its alloys, gold and silver in powder form are used for printing, adding fiberglass and ceramic inclusions to them.

Nylon printed parts are similar in many ways to ABS plastic parts, but are softer and more practical. Nylon manufacturing technology is more capricious, in particular, it has a longer curing period, the printing temperature reaches 320 degrees Celsius, and it is more toxic.

The 3D printers of the near future will print shaped chocolate molds, which should be in great demand in restaurants and pastry shops.

It is also impossible not to mention polycaprolactone, the most popular consumable for 3D printing. This material is so valued for its excellent physical properties and the possibility of being used in various printing technologies.

Of the plastic materials for printing, it is also worth highlighting polycarbonate (hard plastic), polylactide material obtained from biomass, sugar beet or corn silage, polypropylene, polyphenylsulfone, which came from the aviation industry, and an unsurpassed leader in the field of 3D printing, used in any of its areas - polyethylene low pressure.

Among other things, there are also printers that carry out 3D printing with mixtures of clay, lime powder, food, cells from living organic matter. And what exotic materials will be printed 3D printers in the future, one can only guess.

types, applications and properties

3D printing enables fast 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.

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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.

There are two main types of plastics:

• 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.

• 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.

The three most common plastic 3D printing processes today are:

• Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printers melt and extrude thermoplastic filaments, which the printer nozzle deposits layer by layer on the work area.

• The Stereolithography (SLA) 3D printer uses a laser to photopolymerize thermoset liquid polymers into a hardened plastic.

• The Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D Printer is equipped with a high power laser to sinter fine particles of thermoplastic powder.

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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 proliferation 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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. Disadvantages Poor accuracy
Poor detail
Limited conformity to design
High cost of industrial devices if precision and high performance materials are required Susceptibility to prolonged UV exposure More expensive material choice 36 Applications Low Cost Rapid Prototyping
Basic experimental models
Production of special end-use products using professional industrial devices and materials Functional prototypes
Templates, molds and tooling
Dental products
Prototypes and molds for casting jewelry
Props and models Functional prototypes
Small-scale production, production of limited trial runs, creation of products to order Materials Standard thermoplastics such as ABS, PLA and their various blends on consumer grade devices. High performance composites on high value industrial applications Various polymers (thermosetting plastics). Standard, engineering (similar to ABS and PP, flexible, heat resistant), molding, dental and medical (biocompatible). Engineering thermoplastics. Nylon 11 Powder, Nylon 12 Powder and their composite materials, thermoplastic elastomers such as TPU.

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.

• Titanium is a light metal with excellent mechanical properties. It is strong, hard and highly resistant to heat, oxidation and acids.

• stainless steel has high strength, ductility and corrosion resistance.

• Aluminum is a lightweight, durable, strong metal with good thermal properties.

• Tool Steel is a hard, scratch-resistant material that can be used to print end-use tools and other high-strength products.

• nickel alloys have high tensile strength, 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.

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.

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.

material requirements: material properties that will satisfy these requirements. These indicators are usually given in the technical specifications of the material.

Requirement	Description	Recommendations
Tensile strength	Resistance 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 Module	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.	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.	FDM ABS, Nylon SLA: Tough 2000 Resin, Tough 1500 Resin, Gray Pro Resin, Durable Resin SLS: Nylon 12 Powder, Nylon 11 Powder
Temperature at which the specimen deforms under load 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.	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 composites0136
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.

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.

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