3D printing emerged onto the market several years ago. While it is still a relatively novel technology, it is incredibly useful in several industries. From arts and crafts to medical advancements, 3D printing has quickly become one of the optimal resources around the world.
If you are investing in a 3D printer or if you want to start using your existing unit, it’s essential to know which materials are best suited for specific projects.
The Best Materials You Can 3D Print With
As with any project, choosing the correct 3D printing materials will depend on the final product’s purpose. For example, you wouldn’t want to use the same material for a food-based item as you would for a visual arts project, right?
As such, having an assortment of materials, depending on your needs, can be the best option when it comes time to start 3D printing. When selecting materials, you need to make sure the materials are environmentally friendly. Unfortunately, it seems like conscious consumerism is a foreign concept to Americans. Take a look at this article for more information on the importance of promoting environmental sustainability.
Plastics
If you were to look at the composition of most items in your household, you’d find that they are primarily made from thermoplastics, which makes plastic one of the most popular materials for 3D printing. You’ll also find that plastics are one of the least expensive materials for both personal and professional projects, which makes it ideal for household tasks, as well.
Instead of investing thousands of dollars into prototypes made from metal, for example, professionals will use plastics to create functional items to showcase the properties of a project’s final version.
Another advantage of using plastic for 3D printing is that it works exceptionally close to the manufacturing processes used to create a final product. Most items are made using a process called injection molding, and plastic is one of the top 3D printing materials that operate similarly.
ABS Plastic
As one of the best types of plastic for an assortment of projects, ABS is highly durable and reliable. In turn, this makes it ideal for a variety of prototypes and finished products. You can also easily find ABS filament in an assortment of colors, which makes it even simpler to produce highly creative products.
With that said, know that if ABS is overheated, it tends to produce toxic fumes, so the plastic should only be heated up to 250 degrees Celsius.
Another essential thing to make a note of with ABS plastic is that it is highly likely to warp while cooling. Therefore, you will want to make sure it is kept in a controlled environment for the highest quality finished product.
Overall, it is durable, lightweight, flexible, and allows you to print at a relatively high resolution for most architectural and DIY projects.
PLA
PLA is by far the most popular material used to 3D print food-safe products. It is made from a derivative of cornstarch, tapioca, or sugar cane. When it is heated, unlike ABS, PLA has a sweet and safe smell, which makes it convenient for beginners to put to good use, especially if you don’t want to be exposed to toxic fumes.
You’ll also find that it’s one of the most comfortable materials to use while 3D printing. However, it is substantially less durable than ABS and is very likely to be affected by heat.
Fortunately, you can find PLA materials in an assortment of colors, similar to ABS. However, there are also different composites to consider, as well. Often, you can find PLA filament that emulates the appearance of metal or wood.
Polyamide
Also referred to as nylon, polyamide is another popular 3D printing material that is frequently used in the medical field. It is also ideal for engineering and artistic projects.
When you 3D print an item with nylon, it starts with a rough surface, but you have the ability to smooth it down to create a more seamless appeal. It’s one of the better options for projects that require a lot of mechanical strength.
Still, it’s important to note that this material will degrade if exposed to high humidity, similar to other thermoplastics. Polyamide is relatively flexible and is also chemically resistant, which makes it great for tooling, visual arts, and medical applications alike.
PEEK
When you start shopping for 3D printing materials, you’ll find that PEEK is one of the most expensive, especially as it is typically reserved for aerospace, medical, and automotive applications, according to makerindustry.com.
Its highly resistant nature and incredible durability make it the most reliable 3D printing material you can get your hands on, especially as it is also bio-compatible. You’ll find that PEEK is resistant to temperature, chemicals, repeated stress, gamma radiation, and X-rays, making it exceptionally easy to manufacture.
Designers will also be able to heat this material to 400 degrees Celsius, compared to others that aren’t recommended to be heated past half that amount. With that said, due to the high heat needed to create items with this material, it is best used by professionals and should not be used for DIY or personal projects.
Final Thoughts
When you start to look for materials for your 3D printer, you’ll be glad to know there are plenty to choose from, from food-safe items to articles specifically recommended for aerospace parts. Knowing what materials are best for your project can help you to make the most out of your budget to create functional products.
- 【Dimensional Accuracy & Consistency】 Utilizing CCD cameras and closed-loopcontrols, we continuously monitor and adjust the extrusion process in...
- 【Clog-Free & Bubble-Free】 Designed and manufactured with our patented clog-free formula to guarantee a smooth and seamless printing experience....
- 【Less Tangle & Hassle】 Our meticulous winding and manual inspection guarantees a tidy, tangle-free filament. Featuring a larger inside diameter,...
- 【Wide Compatibility and Color Selection】 Overture filaments seamlessly integrates with most consumer and industrial 3D printers. Explore your...
- 【Risk-Free & Lifetime Guarantee】 Discover worry-free 3D printing with Overture filament—backed by our lifetime satisfaction guarantee. No matter...
- MULTIPLE MODELS PRINTING: SUNLU PLA META features both nice looking and strength, compatibly applying to print children's toys, household decorations...
- EXCEPTIONAL DURABILITY: SUNLU pla meta filament is engineered for long-lasting durability, great for printing various 3D models, which is hard to...
- UPGRADED COLORS: SUNLU pla meta filament with unique macaron color is awesome and pleasing to the eye, creating a smoother and more delicate surface
- SUPERIOR FLUIDITY: SUNLU meta pla 3D printer filament flows like butter with excellent fluidity, which is simple to print with this filaments without...
- STRONGER 3D FILAMENTS: SUNLU meta pla is stronger than normal pla with high toughness. The 3D printing models can withstand impact and bending
- Great Silk Luster Surface PLA Filament: It's Silk Like Feel Silky Shinny Surface with Silk Luster, Giving Smooth, Pearly and Unique Touch; Without...
- High Quality Control: All of Our Silk PLA is Made by 100% Eco-Friendly New Raw Material, and Low Odor, No Bubble, Melt Well, Feed Smoothly, No...
- Strong Compatibility: 1.75mm High Diameter Tolerance, To Ensure Consistent Feeding and Smooth Printing, It's Perfectly Compatible with Most of the FDM...
- 100% Tangle-Free Tips and Printing Setting: All of Our Filament are 100% Tangle-Free before Package Opened, Pls Kindly Fix Filament End after Each...
- Good Package & Warranty: For Each Spool Filament, It's Packed with Good Vacuum Package, Each Spool Filament Net Weight: 1kg, Around 335m Total Length;...
- Cost-Effective Filament Bundle: Get 2 "1kg" spools of PLA filament for the price of 1 with classic black and white color
- Smooth and Stable Printing: Patented design and manufacturing process ensures smooth, clog-free printing
- Durable and Strong: Improved toughness and strength for printing functional parts
- Compatible with Most Printers: Works with 99% of FDM and FFF 3D printers with heated beds
- Renewable Material: Made from starch derived from renewable plant resources for environmental friendliness
- PLA vertigo galaxy multicolors,pla multicolors filament 1.75mm.PLA filament 1.75mm,the glitter produced by the unique surface suspension technology...
- PLA raw material is imported from European, no recycled material or reworks material, stable diameter control and no jam.PLA filament 1.75mm,net...
- It is suggested that the nozzle should be used at a temperature of 195-215 ℃. If hairy occur when printing, adjusted gradually by 5-10 ℃ each...
- For better printing smoothness and success, nozzle 0.4mm or bigger,layer height 0.2mm or bigger,printing speed lower than 150mm/s,using cheap and...
- To prevent filament tangling, make sure to secure the filament end either within the spool's designated hole or elsewhere after 3D printing. In case...
Related Topic:
Useful Tools For Your Next DIY Project
FAQ:
Q: What is the strongest 3D printing material?
A: – PLA usually begins to deform at a minor temperature of about 60°C but Polycarbonate filament can resist the heat up to amazingly 135°C. – It is durable with impact and high shatter resistance. – Electronically, it is non-conductive. – It is transparent and highly flexible.
Q: What is the best 3D printer material?
A: We then added legendary hedge fund manager, Doug Kass, with his exclusive Daily Diary and best investing ideas. Staffed with more than 4 dozen investing pros, money managers, journalists and …
Q: What materials are used to make a 3D printer?
A: – 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.
Q: What is the best affordable 3D printer?
A: Best Overall: XYZprinting da Vinci Mini. … Comgrow Creality Ender 3. … ALUNAR 3D Printer. … Monoprice Select Mini 3D Printer V2. … FlashForge Finder 3D Printer. … JGMAKER Magic 3D Printer. … Anycubic Mega-S 3D Printer. … SainSmart x Creality Ender-3 PRO 3D Printer. …