What plastics are used for 3D printing?
There are several different plastic materials used for 3D printing, depending on the technology used and the properties required. Here are the most common plastics in FDM and SLA printing:
FDM material (Filament based printing)
FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) is the most common technique and uses filaments that are melted and extruded layer by layer.
PLA (Polylactic Acid)
- CharacteristicsBiodegradable, easy to print, low shrinkage
- Usage: Prototypes, decorations, simple mechanical parts
- Disadvantages: Brittle, cannot withstand high heat (starts to soften at about 60°C)
ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
- Characteristics: Durable, heat resistant (up to 100°C), impact resistant
- Usage: Mechanical parts, durable products, electronics shells
- Disadvantages: Shrinks on cooling, requires heated build plate, emits fumes on printing
PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol-modified)
- Characteristics: Impact resistant, water and chemical resistant, easy to print
- Usage: Functional parts, water tank, protective covers
- Disadvantages: Less rigid than PLA, may become stringy during printing
TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane)
- Characteristics: Flexible, rubbery, durable
- Usage: Hinges, damping parts, protective case
- Disadvantages: Difficult to print on standard FDM printers
Nylon (polyamide)
- Characteristics: Very durable, flexible, chemical resistant
- Usage: Mechanical parts, gears, bearings
- Disadvantages: Hygroscopic (absorbs moisture), more difficult to print
SLA/DLP materials (Resin-based printing)
SLA (Stereolithography) and DLP (Digital Light Processing) use liquid resin that is cured with UV light.
Standard resin
- Characteristics: Smooth surface, high level of detail
- Usage: Miniatures, prototypes, jewelry
- Disadvantages: Fragile, requires post-curing
Tough resin
- Characteristics: More impact resistant, similar to ABS
- Usage: Functional parts, durable prototypes
- Disadvantages: More expensive than standard rice
Flexible resin
- Characteristics: Rubber-like, elastic
- Usage: Protective details, soft components
- Disadvantages: Lower detail than standard resin
Which material to choose?
- For simple models and prototypes: PLA
- For durable, heat-resistant parts: ABS or PETG
- For flexible details: TPU or flexible resin
- For mechanical parts: Nylon or tough resin
- Too much detail: SLA resin
Do you want a quick and accurate cost calculation for your printing? We offer a calculator where you can upload your STL file and see the impact of material choices on price.