3D printer filament is the thermoplastic feedstock for fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printers. It is the raw material that is used to make three-dimensional objects in an additive manufacturing process where an object is created by laying down successive layers of material. Filaments come in various materials, each with its unique properties, and are generally wound onto spools for use in printing.
What is the best 3D printer filament?
Selecting the ideal 3D printer filament largely depends on your experience level and the specific requirements of your project. For beginners in the world of 3D printing, PLA (Polylactic Acid) is often recommended as the easiest filament to work with, thanks to its user-friendly properties. ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) is another great option for novices, providing a bit more durability compared to PLA.
PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol-modified) is frequently considered a balanced choice, offering a middle ground between the ease of PLA and the strength of ABS. This is further elaborated in the individual sections dedicated to each type of 3D printer filament below.
For those aiming to create unique or specialized projects, PLA’s versatility shines through. It's available in a variety of blends, including options that are clear, glow-in-the-dark, or even conductive. These specialized PLA filaments are widely used for unique and custom projects.
If you're interested in printing flexible objects, filaments such as TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane), TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer), and other flexible materials are available. These are detailed in the flexible filament section of this guide.
For advanced users seeking to print with the most robust materials, filaments like PC (Polycarbonate), Nylon, Carbon fiber-infused filaments, or even PEEK (Poly Ether Ether Ketone) might be the better choices. However, it’s important to note that these higher-strength filaments usually come with a higher price tag.
PLA (Polylactic Acid)
PLA (Polylactic Acid) remains a top choice for 3D printing enthusiasts, especially for those using cutting-edge printers like Bambu Lab models. As of 2023, PLA's qualities of being eco-friendly, easy to print with, and versatile continue to make it a favorite in the 3D printing community.
Key Characteristics of PLA:
- Printing Temperature: Ranges between 180-210°C, ideal for printers that operate at these temperatures.
- Heated Bed: While optional, a temperature of 40-60°C on the heated bed is recommended for optimal results.
- Heated Chamber: Not necessary for PLA, making it compatible with a variety of printers including open-frame models like those from Bambu Lab.
- Glass Transition Temperature: At 60-65°C, PLA becomes soft, important to consider for objects exposed to higher temperatures.
- Adhesion Methods: Glue sticks or blue painter’s tape are effective, ensuring good bed adhesion during printing.
The Go-To Filament:
PLA, derived from renewable resources like cornstarch, has a longstanding history in the 3D printing world. It gained popularity through the RepRap movement and has maintained its status as a widely used filament. Today, millions of makers globally prefer PLA for its affordability and biodegradable nature.
3D Printing Tips for PLA:
PLA's ease of printing is notable as it exhibits minimal warping and doesn’t require high temperatures. It’s a non-toxic material, producing negligible odor during printing - a stark contrast to filaments like ABS and ASA. This makes PLA an excellent choice for Bambu Lab printers, which are known for their precision and ease of use in various environments.
Higher-grade PLA yields superior post-print finishes, allowing for better sanding or drilling if needed. Its user-friendliness extends to slicer settings, making it a forgiving choice for those still mastering their 3D printing skills.
PLA vs. PLA+:
While standard PLA is known for its brittleness, PLA+ offers enhanced durability and higher temperature resistance, broadening its application scope.
Printer Compatibility:
PLA’s compatibility with printers that do not require a heated bed or enclosed build area, such as Bambu Lab’s range, makes it a preferred choice for many DIY enthusiasts and professionals alike.
Variety and Applications:
The market offers a diverse range of PLA filaments, from standard types to those blended with materials like wood, copper, or carbon fiber. Specialty variants like glow-in-the-dark PLA add a creative touch to nighttime projects.
Considerations:
PLA’s lower melting point compared to materials like ABS limits its use in high-temperature environments. Its brittleness under pressure is another consideration. While it cannot be smoothed with acetone like ABS, PLA parts are easily painted and glued, allowing for creative and complex assemblies.
ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) is a widely recognized filament in the 3D printing community, known for its durability and versatility. It's a standard plastic used in numerous consumer products, including phone cases and keyboards, thanks to its robustness.
Key Properties of ABS:
- Printing Temperature: ABS requires a higher temperature range, typically between 230-250°C.
- Heated Bed: A heated bed is essential for ABS, with a recommended temperature setting of 90-110°C to ensure proper bed adhesion and reduce warping.
- Heated Chamber: Using a heated chamber is strongly recommended to maintain consistent temperature during printing and prevent warping.
- Glass Transition Temperature: ABS has a higher glass transition temperature of around 105°C, making it more suitable for applications where heat resistance is essential.
- Adhesion Methods: Various adhesion methods can be used, such as a glue stick or blue painter’s tape.
The Versatility and Strength of ABS:
High-quality ABS filament is known for being stronger than PLA and more resistant to temperature variations, making it a suitable choice for objects that might be exposed to higher temperatures, such as in a car on a sunny day. It's also available in a variety of colors and sizes, including clear ABS for post-print painting.
3D Printing Tips for ABS:
- Warping Prevention: ABS can warp during cooling; therefore, maintaining a sufficiently hot heated bed is crucial.
- Extruder Temperature: Once the correct extruder temperature is achieved, printing with ABS can be as straightforward as with other materials.
- Acetone Smoothing: ABS can be smoothed with acetone, offering a finish that resembles injection-molded parts, although this may reduce fine details.
Safety and Ventilation:
It’s vital to print in a well-ventilated area due to the potential release of microparticles and fumes during printing. ABS emits a strong odor that can be unpleasant and potentially harmful, hence the need for good ventilation.
Printer Compatibility:
ABS requires printers capable of maintaining high temperatures, both in the extruder and on the print bed. Printers without a heated chamber, such as some RepRap 3D printers, may encounter issues with warping and cracking due to temperature inconsistencies.
Transparency:
While ABS is not naturally transparent like PLA, there are modified ABS filaments available that offer translucency, especially when post-processed with acetone.
Cost-Effectiveness:
ABS remains one of the most affordable options for 3D printing, offering strength and durability at a lower cost compared to materials like Nylon or PEEK. This makes it an ideal choice for those seeking to create sturdy and high-quality parts on a budget.
PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol-modified)
PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol-modified) filament is a popular choice in 3D printing, offering a blend of the best qualities of both PLA and ABS. With added glycol, PETG provides improved printing characteristics over its base form of PET, commonly found in water bottle manufacturing.
Key Characteristics of PETG:
- Printing Temperature: Optimal temperatures range between 220-245°C.
- Heated Bed: While not mandatory, a heated bed set at 70-90°C is recommended for best results.
- Glass Transition Temperature: Around 80°C, which is higher than PLA but lower than ABS.
- Adhesion Methods: Blue painter’s tape and other similar options can be used for bed adhesion.
- Density: It has a density of 1270kg/m³, which impacts its strength and flexibility.
PETG's Advantages in 3D Printing:
PETG is favored for its toughness and flexibility. Its layer adhesion is outstanding, bending under stress rather than snapping, making it an excellent choice for parts that require both strength and flexibility.
Other benefits of PETG include minimal warping and low odor emissions during printing. It also exhibits good bridging capabilities and can be printed with a high degree of transparency, making it one of the clearest options when optimal printing settings are used.
3D Printing Tips for PETG:
- Optimizing Settings: It’s crucial to fine-tune your printer settings for PETG to achieve the best results.
- Impact Resistance and Thermal Characteristics: PETG combines impact resistance and excellent thermal properties, making it a viable alternative to both ABS and PLA.
- Layer Adhesion: Its natural stickiness leads to strong, durable parts with minimal warping, ideal for printing long, thin parts where ABS might fail.
Considerations When Using PETG:
- Surface Wear: PETG is susceptible to surface wear and scratches, so it may not be ideal for heavily used parts or those requiring a pristine surface finish.
- Support Structures: Due to its strong adhesion, PETG can be challenging to use for support structures, particularly if not using a dual extruder printer with a more suitable support material like PVA or PLA.
- Stringing Issues: Attention to slicer settings is needed to avoid stringing or excessive oozing.
TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane), TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomers), and TPC (Thermoplastic Copolyester)
Flexible 3D printer filaments, such as TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane), TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomers), and TPC (Thermoplastic Copolyester), offer unique properties that make them ideal for a wide range of applications. These materials blend the qualities of plastics and rubbers to create filaments that are both flexible and elastic.
Key Characteristics of Flexible Filaments:
- Extruder Temperature: Recommended temperatures range from 220-260°C, varying with the specific type of flexible filament.
- Heated Bed: Though not always necessary, a heated bed set at 40-60°C is beneficial for better adhesion and print quality.
TPE – The Blend of Plastic and Rubber:
TPE filaments combine the qualities of both plastics and rubber, resulting in a highly flexible and elastic material. This makes TPE more flexible than other semi-flexible filaments like PLA, PETG, and Nylon.
Applications and Uses:
Flexible filaments are excellent for creating objects that need to bend or flex, returning to their original shape after being deformed. They are perfect for applications such as model car tires, tank tracks, bouncy objects, and custom-printed stress balls. Their vibration dampening and impact-absorbing properties open up a plethora of creative and practical uses.
Shore Hardness Scale:
The hardness of these filaments is often measured on the Shore D hardness scale, where lower numbers indicate softer materials and higher numbers denote firmer materials.
Printing Tips for Flexible Filaments:
- Printing Speed: It's advised to print flexible materials at slower speeds, around 20-30mm/s, especially for softer grades.
- Extruder Compatibility: Ensure your printer's extruder can handle flexible materials. Bowden extruders, in particular, might encounter issues due to their design and longer feed paths.
TPU – Popular for Shock Absorption:
TPU is a popular type of TPE, known for its shock absorption and vibration dampening properties. It also exhibits good heat resistance, making it suitable for tools and parts exposed to higher temperatures.
Printing Characteristics:
When printing with TPU or TPE, you may notice similarities to PLA in terms of printing characteristics. However, care must be taken with print settings to avoid failures.
Recommendations for Flexible Filaments:
- TPU: Available in various options, ideal for a range of flexible and durable prints.
- TPC: Offers a balance of flexibility and strength, suitable for more demanding applications.
Challenges with Flexible Filaments:
- Printing Difficulties: TPE can be challenging to print with due to its flexibility. Precise print settings are crucial.
- Stringing and Oozing: TPU and other flexible filaments may exhibit minor imperfections like stringing.
- Bowden Extruder Issues: Printers with Bowden extruders may experience jamming due to the filament's flexibility and the longer path from the extruder to the hotend.
Nylon filament (Polyamide)
Nylon filament, a form of Polyamide, is renowned in the 3D printing community for its exceptional toughness, heat and impact resistance, and resistance to wear and tear. Widely used in both hobbyist and industrial 3D printing, it is also utilized in selective laser sintering (SLS) and Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) printing technologies.
Key Features of Nylon Filament:
- Printing Temperature: Typically requires temperatures between 240-275°C, with a common setting around 250°C.
- Heated Bed Temperature: Essential for Nylon printing, with recommended temperatures ranging from 90-110°C.
- Heated Chamber Requirement: Yes, to prevent warping and ensure the integrity of the print.
Versatility and Use Cases:
Nylon is incredibly versatile and strong, making it ideal for a range of applications. In the textile industry, it's a popular choice for clothing. In 3D printing, its flexibility varies with thickness, offering flexibility when printed thin (suitable for living hinges) and stiffness when printed thick. Its low friction coefficient also makes it perfect for mechanical parts like gearboxes and bushings.
3D Printing Tips:
- Heated Bed and Chamber: A heated bed and chamber are crucial to prevent warping.
- Build Surface: Appropriate build surfaces, such as adhesive glue sticks, PEI sheets, or Kapton tape, are recommended for Nylon.
- Variants: Nylon filament is available in different blends, including versions mixed with carbon fiber for added strength, and glass fiber for additional reinforcement.
Advantages:
Nylon surpasses many other filaments in terms of toughness, impact resistance, and flexibility. It does not emit unpleasant odors like ABS during printing and is known for its strong, flexible, and durable qualities.
Challenges:
- Warping and Curling: Nylon can warp and curl if not printed under precise conditions.
- Hygroscopic Nature: Being highly hygroscopic, Nylon absorbs moisture from the air, which can affect its printing quality. Proper, airtight storage is crucial to maintain its properties.
Support Filaments
PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol)
PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol) is a unique filament in the 3D printing world, primarily valued for its water-soluble properties. It's commonly used as a support material for prints with complex geometries, particularly in conjunction with PLA due to their compatible melting points and printing characteristics.
Key Characteristics of PVA:
- Printing Temperature: Optimal printing temperatures range from 190-210°C.
- Bed Temperature: Should not exceed 45°C to ensure optimal printing conditions.
- Adhesion Methods: Blue painter’s tape and other suitable adhesives can be used.
Primary Use as Support Material:
PVA's main appeal lies in its ability to dissolve in water, making it an ideal support material for intricate prints. When used with PLA, it facilitates the creation of complex structures by easily dissolving away in water, leaving a clean, blemish-free final print.
Applications and Limitations:
- As a Support Material: PVA is perfect for use as a support structure in 3D printing due to its water solubility. This property ensures that the support material can be completely removed without damaging the print.
- For Printing Models: While it can be used to print models, PVA is not typically ideal for this purpose. Its moisture-absorbing nature means that it can degrade when exposed to water or humid conditions. Therefore, careful filament storage is necessary to maintain its properties.
- Hygroscopic Nature: PVA is extremely hygroscopic, requiring dry and sealed storage conditions, often with desiccants, to preserve its quality.
Challenges in Printing with PVA:
- Nozzle Clogging: PVA can clog the printer’s nozzle if left hot without extrusion, so it requires careful handling during the printing process.
- Cost Considerations: PVA is generally more expensive than some other filaments, which can be a consideration, especially given that it's primarily used for support structures and not final products.
- Environmental Sensitivity: Due to its sensitivity to moisture, PVA is not suited for objects intended for outdoor use or in environments where they might come into contact with water.