When it comes to building your home you have a lot of different materials to choose from. The same can be said for 3D printing as well. In fact, there are a lot of different materials to choose from so there will always be one that can meet your needs. Starting out there are some that are more commonly used than others and with this entry, we will detail some of them so you can better understand what materials are being used by My Favorite Prints when we 3D print an object.
PLA
Polylactic Acid or PLA is one of the most common materials used in 3D printing and it is the filament of choice for most extrusion-based 3D printers. It can be printed at a low temperature and does not require a heated bed making PLA is also easy to print, inexpensive and can be used in a variety of ways. It is a great first material to use when you are learning about 3D printing.
It is also one of the most environmentally friendly filaments on the market as it is derived from corn and sugarcane making it biodegradable. As a bonus, some say it gives off a sweet aroma during printing. It is not perfect as it has low heat resistance, it can ooze, the filament can get brittle and break and it is not suitable for outdoor use.
PETG
This is a glycol modified version of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), which most people would recognize as the material used to make water bottles. This material is semi-rigid with good impact resistance but is prone to wear with a softer surface and it can produce thin hairs on the surface. It does have excellent thermal characteristics that allow the plastic to cool efficiently with little to no warpage leaving a glossy and smooth surface finish. PETG is odorless while printing.
ABS
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene or ABS is one of the first materials to be used with 3D printers and it is still one of the most popular. It is tough and boasts great impact resistance properties which allow for the printing of durable parts that will hold up through more wear and tear. It is also a low-cost material.
Chances are you have used a product that uses ABS since Lego blocks are made from this material. This material can withstand higher temperatures before it deforms making this a great material for anything used outdoors. When printing some ventilation will be required as there is a slight odor and ABS can contract as it cools so controlling the temperature is a necessity with this material.
TPE
Thermoplastic Elastomer or TPE is the original soft and flexible filaments used for flexible printing. It is a plastic that has rubber-like qualities. The filaments are incredibly elastic and can be stretched to twice their original length and returned to their original state without any deformation. This is the material to use if you want something with high elasticity, great compression strength, and flexibility.
TPU
Thermoplastic PolyUrethane or TPU is the next generation of TPE. Until recently material was not commonly available for 3D printing and since its introduction, it has been gaining in popularity. It is similar to TPE in terms of elasticity and many other properties but it is a bit more rigid which makes it easier to print since the extruder mechanism can handle it better.
TPU also has better abrasion resistance meaning it will last longer in moving parts and it retains its elastic qualities better in lower temperatures. It also has a higher resistance to oils, greases and other solvents making it much more favorable with industrial applications. It also has a lower shrinkage rate than TPE.