Materials On Hand
PLA Known as polylactic acid, or PLA, this material has the added benefit of being biodegradable. PLA is manufactured using renewable raw materials such as corn starch. PLA is one of the easiest materials to print, though it does slightly shrink after 3D printing. It is also important to mention that models can deteriorate when in contact with water. However, the material is consistent, simple to use, and comes in a wide variety of colors, making it suitable for FDM 3D printing
PLA + An upgraded form of PLA with simular print characteristics with the difference being the superior strength compared to normal PLA
ABS ABS filament is the most commonly used 3D printing plastic. It is used in the bodywork of cars, appliances, and mobile phone cases. It is a thermoplastic which contains a base of elastomers based on polybutadiene, making it more flexible, resistant to shocks, and able to easily withstand temperatures of -20ºC to 80ºC. In addition to its high strength, it is a reusable material and can be welded with chemical processes. However, ABS is not biodegradable.
PETG PETG, or glycolized polyester, is a thermoplastic widely used in the additive manufacturing market, combining both the simplicity of PLA 3D printing and the strength of ABS. It is an amorphous plastic, which can be 100% recycled. It has the same chemical composition as polyethylene terephthalate, better known by its acronym PET. Glycol has been added to reduce its brittleness and therefore its fragility
HIGH PERFORMANCE POLYMERS (PEEK, PEKK, ULTEM) The evolution of 3D printing technologies has led to extensive research work on printing materials, enabling the development of a whole range of high-performance filaments with mechanical characteristics similar to those of metals. There are several types of high-performance 3D printing plastics such as PEEK, PEKK or ULTEM – they are distinguished by family such as polyaryletherketones (PAEK) or polyetherimides (PEI). These filaments have a very high mechanical and thermal resistance, are very strong and at the same time much lighter than some metals. These properties make them very attractive in the aerospace, automotive and medical sectors.
NYLON Due to its biocompatibility, polyamides can be used to create parts that come into contact with food (except foods that contain alcohol). Constituted of semi crystalline structures, polyamides have a good balance of chemical and mechanical characteristics that offer good stability, rigidity, flexibility, and shock resistance. These advantages mean that the material has many applications across sectors and offers a high level of detail. Due to its high quality, polyamides are used in the manufacture of gears, parts for the aerospace market, automotive market, robotics, medical prostheses, and injection molds.
CARBON COMPOSITES are extremely beneficial when making lightweight yet strong parts. The fibers add strength to a part without adding weight, which is why we also refer to composites as fiber reinforced materials. There are two types of reinforcements, short fiber or continuous fiber. In the first case, chopped fibers, which consist of segments less than a millimeter in length, are mixed into traditional 3D printing plastics to increase the stiffness and to a lesser extent the strength of components. Chopped fibers can be mixed with thermoplastics such as nylon, ABS or PLA.
HYBRID MATERIALS There are a variety of hybrid materials that mix base plastics with powders to give them a new color, finish or additional material properties. Often based on PLA, these materials are usually made of 70% PLA and 30% hybrid material. For example, wood-based filaments ranging from bamboo, cork, wood dust, and more are available. These wood-based materials mixed with PLA give the hybrid filament a more organic texture. Additionally, some hybrid materials incorporate metal powders to work with FDM-based technologies, to give parts a metal finish. They can be based on copper, bronze, silver, and more.
TPU AND OTHER FLEXIBLE MATERIALS A newer type of filament, and one of the most successful, are flexible filaments. They are similar to PLA, but usually made out of TPE or TPU. The advantage of using these filaments for 3D printing is they allow for the creation of deformable objects, widely used in the fashion industry. Generally, these flexible filaments have the same printing characteristics as PLA, though they come in a variety of ranges based on their stiffness.
POLYCARBONATE (PC) Polycarbonate (PC) is a high strength material designed for engineering applications. The material has good temperature resistance, able to resist any physical deformation up to around 150ºC. resistance. PC is highly valued by the AM industry for its strength and transparency. It has a much lower density than glass, making it particularly interesting for designing optical parts, protective screens or decorative objects.