PLA (polylactic acid)
High stiffness, good detail, affordable. PLA is a biodegradable thermoplastic for low-cost, non-functional prototyping. Greater detail than ABS, but more brittle. Unsuitable for high temperatures.

Reasons to choose PLA

• Good tensile strength
• Good surface quality
• Easy to work with at high print speeds
• Allows the creation of high-resolution parts
• Ideal for models and prototypes that require aesthetic detail
• Great for lost casting methods to create metal parts
• A wide range of color options available
• Combine it with PVA for interconnected prints

Weaknesses - Limited dimensional accuracy, Print layers are likely to be visible

More Options coming soon - Woodfill and Metalfill PLA filament

ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene)

Commodity plastic, improved mechanical and thermal properties compared to PLA. ABS is a common thermoplastic with good mechanical properties and excellent impact strength, superior to PLA but with less defined details.

Reasons to choose ABS

• Good mechanical properties
• Good interlayer adhesion, especially when printing with an enclosed front
• Withstands temperatures up to 85 ºC
• Great for exceptionally strong prototypes or end-use parts
• Achieve superior aesthetics compared to using other ABS filaments
• Acetone dipped parts display ability to hold pneumatic pressure

Weaknesses - Limited dimensional accuracy, Print layers are likely to be visible

Tough PLA (polylactic acid)
Tough PLA is a technical PLA (polylactic acid) material with toughness similar to ABS. Ideal for reliably printing functional prototypes and tooling at larger sizes, Tough PLA offers the same safe and easy use as regular PLA.

Reasons to choose PLA

• Impact strength similar to ABS, greater than regular PLA
• Higher stiffness compared with ABS
• Less brittle than regular PLA
• Withstands temperatures up to 60 ºC
• Gives a more matte surface finish quality than our normal PLA
• Suitable for post-processing with improved machinability compared to regular PLA
• More reliable than ABS for larger prints, with no delamination or warping
• Compatible with support materials (PVA and Breakaway) giving full geometric freedom when designing parts

PETG (Polyethylene terephthalate - glycol-modified)
A thermoplastic filament that combines the strength of ABS, some flexibility of Nylon and the easy printability of PLA. It is also very durable and temperature resistant. It is good for printing mechanical parts and protective components. It is also good for printing large objects since it doesn't warp much.

Reasons to choose PETG

• Durable
• Good for mechanical parts and protective components
• Doesn’t warp so good for printing large objects
• Translucent in color

WHEN SHOULD I USE PETG (PET, PETT) 3D PRINTER FILAMENT?

PETG is a good all-rounder but stands out from many other types of 3D printer filament due to its flexibility, strength, and temperature and impact resistance. This makes it an ideal 3D printer filament to use for objects which might experience sustained or sudden stress, like mechanical parts, printer parts, and protective components.

Nylon

Used to substitute functional injection moulded parts, good chemical resistance. Perfect for functional applications. Nylon, a popular family of synthetic polymers used in many industrial applications, is the heavyweight champion of the 3D printing world. Compared to most other types of 3D printer filament, it ranks as the number one contender when together considering strength, flexibility, and durability. Another unique characteristic of this 3D printer filament is that you can dye it, either before or after the printing process.

WHEN SHOULD I USE NYLON 3D PRINTER FILAMENT?

Taking advantage of nylon’s strength, flexibility, and durability use this 3D printer filament type to create tools, functional prototypes, or mechanical parts (like hinges, buckles, or gears).

CPE & CPE+ (copolyester)
Materials are chemical resistant, tough and demonstrate good dimensional stability. It is a preferred choice for both functional prototypes and mechanical parts. While both CPE and CPE+ provide similar performance characteristics, CPE+ provides the added benefit of higher temperature resistance and increased impact strength.

Reasons to choose CPE

Product designers use CPE to make extremely tough and dimensionally stable functional prototypes.

• Excellent chemical resistance
• Excellent toughness and dimensional stability
• Good interlayer adhesion, especially when printing with an enclosed front
• Low levels of ultrafine particles (UFPs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• Ideal for short run manufacturing and functional prototypes
• Transparent option available

Polycarbonate (PC)

In addition to being the strongest 3D printer filament presented in this list, is extremely durable and resistant to both physical impact and heat, able to withstand temperatures of up to 110°C. It’s also transparent, which explains its use in commercial items such as bullet proof glass, scuba masks, and electronic display screens.

With PC (polycarbonate) filament, you can print strong and tough parts that retain dimensional stability when subjected to temperatures as high as 110 ºC. Our PC is a perfect filament for printing molds, tools, functional prototypes and parts for short-run manufacturing.

Reasons to choose PC

PC is a top choice material for engineers and manufacturers who require parts that need to retain its strength, toughness and shape while operating in high-temperature environments.

• High toughness, especially for the non-transparent filament options
• Resists temperatures and retains form up to 110 ºC
• Flame retardant characteristics
• Dimensionally stable
• Excellent interlayer adhesion, especially when printing with an enclosed front
• Allows printing of translucent parts for lighting applications with a transparent filament option

TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane)

It is rubber-like material, suitable for tubes, grips, seals and gaskets. These are essentially plastics with rubber-like qualities, making them extremely flexible and durable. As such, TPE is commonly found in automotive parts, household appliances, and medical supplies.

Highly versatile for industrial applications, TPU(thermoplastic polyurethane) filament is the go-to choice for a wide array of manufacturing projects that demand the qualities of both rubber and plastic. Designed for 3D printing consistency, TPU is a semi-flexible and chemical resistant filament with strong layer bonding. In addition, it is easier and faster to print than other TPU filaments.

WHEN SHOULD I USE TPE, TPU, OR TPC 3D PRINTER FILAMENT?

Use TPE or TPU when creating objects that need to take a lot of wear. If your print should bend, stretch, or compress, these are the right 3D printer filaments for the job. Example prints might include toys, phone cases, or wearables (like wristbands). TPC can be used in the same contexts, but does especially well in harsher environments, like the outdoors.

PVA (polyvinyl alcohol)

It is a water-soluble support material for multi-extrusion 3D printing. With a good thermal stability, Ultimaker PVA is ideal for printing complex models that require supports for large overhangs, deep internal cavities, and intricate geometries. Designed for a seamless 3D printing experience, our PVA provides good adhesion to PLA, Tough PLA, CPE, and Nylon.

Reasons to choose PVA

• Good thermal stability resulting in better degradation resistance compared to other PVA filaments
• Great adhesion to PLA, Tough PLA, CPE, and Nylon
• Safe dissolution in tap water (no harmful chemicals required)
• Biodegradable with no hazardous by-products