Are you in love with art? Wants to explore your fantasy thoughts in reality? Let’s make your dream world real with the top 10 3D filaments types. Getting your hands on a 3D printer opens the door to a universe of possibilities. Be it something functional like prosthetic or recreational like tabletop gaming parts, there’s one common need tying it all together: 3D printers and 3D printer filament types.
The raw material that keeps you printing, there’s an abundance of 3D printer filament types available to you. Here, we’ll cover the common “daily driver” filaments like PLA and PETG, plus the fancy stuff that lets you get really creative.
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List Of Best 3D Printer Filament Online
Here you get the complete list of the best ABS 3D printing filament or PLA 3D printing filament online at the best price online:
Check more PVA 3D printing filament here:
3D Printer Filament Types
we are going to mention the 3D filament types which used in the commercial industry as well as DIY projects.
PLA 3D Printing Filament
In the realm of consumer 3D printer filament types, PLA 3D printing filament is king. Although it’s often compared to ABS – arguably the next in line to the throne – PLA 3D printing filament is easily the most popular 3D printer filament types, and for good reason.
First and foremost, PLA 3D printing filament is easy to print with. It has a lower printing temperature than ABS, and PLA 3D printing filament doesn’t warp as easily, meaning it doesn’t require a heating bed. Another benefit of using PLA 3D printing filament is that it doesn’t give off an off-putting odor during printing (unlike ABS). PLA 3D printing filament generally considered an odorless filament, but many have reported smelling sweet candy-like fumes depending on the 3D printer filament types of PLA.
PLA 3D Printing Filament Features
- Strength: High | Flexibility: Low | Durability: Medium
- Difficulty to use: Low/li>
- Print temperature: 180°C – 230°C
- Print bed temperature: 20°C – 60°C (but not needed)
- Shrinkage/warping: Minimal
- Soluble: No
- Food safety: Refer to manufacturer guidelines
ABS 3D Printing Filament
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS 3D printing filament) typically ranks as the second most popular 3D printer filament types, after PLA. But that just means ABS 3D printing filament the second most commonly used. With respect to its material properties, ABS 3D printing filament is actually moderately superior to PLA, despite being slightly more difficult to print with. It’s for this reason that ABS 3D printing filament is found in many manufactured household and consumer goods, including LEGO bricks and bicycle helmets!
ABS 3D Printing Filament Features
- Strength: High | Flexibility: Medium | Durability: High
- Difficulty to use: Medium
- Print temperature: 210°C – 250°C
- Print bed temperature: 80°C – 110°C
- Shrinkage/warping: Considerable
- Soluble: In esters, ketones, and acetone
- Food safety: Not food safe
PETG 3D Printing Filament
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET 3D printer filament types) is the most commonly used plastic in the world. Best known as the polymer used in water bottles, it is also found in clothing fibers and food containers. While “raw” PET 3D printer filament types are rarely used in 3D printing, its variant PETG is an increasingly popular 3D printer filament type.
The ‘G’ in PETG 3D printer filament types stands for “glycol-modified”, and the result is a filament that is clearer, less brittle, and most importantly, easier to print with than its base form. For this reason, PETG is often considered a good middle ground between ABS and PLA, the two most commonly used 3D printer filament types, as it is more flexible and durable than PLA and easier to print than ABS.
PETG (PET, PETT) 3D Printing Filament Features
- Strength: High| Flexibility: Medium | Durability: High
- Difficulty to use: Low
- Print temperature: 220°C – 250°C
- Print bed temperature: 50°C – 75°C
- Shrinkage/warping: Minimal
- Soluble: No
- Food safety: Refer to manufacturer guidelines
NYLON 3D Printing Filament
Nylon, a popular family of synthetic polymers used in many industrial applications, is the heavyweight champion of the professional 3D printing world. Compared to most other 3D printer filament types, it ranks as the number one contender when together considering strength, flexibility, and durability.
NYLON 3D Printing Filament Features
- Strength: High | Flexibility: High | Durability: High
- Difficulty to use: Medium
- Print temperature: 240°C – 260°C
- Print bed temperature: 70°C – 100°C
- Shrinkage/warping: Considerable
- Soluble: No
- Food safety: Refer to manufacturer guidelines
PC (Polycarbonate) 3D Printing Filament
Polycarbonate (PC), in addition to being one of the strongest 3D printer filament types 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 bulletproof glass, scuba masks, and electronic display screens.
PC (POLYCARBONATE) 3D Printing Filament Features
- Strength: Very High| Flexibility: Medium | Durability: Very High
- Difficulty to use: Medium
- Print temperature: 270°C – 310°C
- Print bed temperature: 90°C – 110°C
- Shrinkage/warping: Considerable
- Soluble: No
- Food safety: Not food safe
PVA 3D Printing Filament
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA 3D printing filament) is soluble in water, and that’s exactly what commercial applications take advantage of. Popular uses of PVA 3D printing filament include packaging for dishwasher detergent “pods” or bags full of fishing bait.
The same principle applies in 3D printing, making PVA 3D printing filament a great support material when paired with another 3D printer filament types in a dual extrusion 3D printer. The advantage of using PVA 3D printing filament over HIPS is that it can be used to support more materials than just ABS.
The trade-off is a 3D printer filament type that is slightly more difficult to handle. One must also be careful when storing PVA 3D printing filament, as the moisture in the atmosphere can damage the filament prior to printing. Dry boxes and silica pouches are a must if you plan to keep a spool of PVA 3D printing filament usable in the long run.
Polypropylene (PP) 3D Printing Filament:
Polypropylene (PP 3D printer filament types) is tough, flexible, light, chemically resistant, and food-safe, which might explain it’s a broad range of applications, including engineering plastics, food packaging, textiles, and banknotes.
Unfortunately, like a 3D printer filament types, PP is notoriously difficult to print with, often presenting heavy warpage and lackluster layer adhesion. If not for these issues, PP 3D printer filament types may have contended with PLA and ABS for most popular 3D printer filament types, given its strong mechanical and chemical properties.
Interestingly, since many household objects are made of PP, it’s actually possible to recycle old junk and turn it into new 3D printer filament types.
Glow In The Dark 3D Printing Filament
This 3D printer filament type glows in the dark. It is designed to glow brightly for an extended amount of time. However, you need to charge the object or exposed it to a light source to allow it to emit light.
The glow in the dark 3D printer filament types is a good choice for projects with a Halloween theme. Since this is a type of PLA and PLA is biodegradable and environmentally friendly, this is safe for everyone, including children.
ASA 3D Printing Filament
ASA (Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate) is a thermoplastic that combines mechanical robustness, resistance to UV rays, and resistance to water with a great surface finish. 3D printer filament types are not as popular as ABS and PLA, but it is an excellent material. Unlike ABS, a white ASA takes a lot longer to start yellowing in the sun or to start deteriorating and losing its strength.
Metal 3D Printing Filament Types
Another interesting 3D printer filament types that you should try is Metal PLA. This material is a category of PLA combined with actual metallic powder. By using a metal 3D printer filament types you will produce 3D printed materials that look and feel like they were made of bronze, brass, or copper.
3D Printers With Dual Extruders
These 3D printers with dual extruders feature an MK8 spring-loaded dual extrusion direct drive system 3D printers with dual extruders can print materials like Ninja flex, ABS, PLA, Nylon and many more. Most 3D printers with dual extruders will need a printer profile for a slicing application to process the models to dual print. In most cases, you’ll need to assign a part in two separate STL files to the two nozzles and configure settings depending on the model features and materials.
Buyers Guide For 3D Printing Filament:
With the entire different 3D printer filament types on the market, choosing the best one will surely be challenging. So, check out tips below to determine the best 3D printer filament types for your next project especially if you need to buy 3D printer plastic.
What are you building –
If you want to build a glow in the dark object, you can go for glow in the dark PLA 3D printer filament types. Similarly, if you want sandstone, metallic or magnetic object, then you should get the appropriate 3D printer filament types for each project.
Diameter –
3D printer filament types come with different diameters. There are 3mm and 1.75mm. Between the two, 1.75mm is better. It is more common in the market and rotates out of the inventory faster, so you can expect to get a new material when you buy it.
Moisture –
This is a common issue concerning 3D printer filament types due to poor packaging or long exposure before the material is packed. Plastic absorbs moisture from the atmosphere relative to the humidity and duration of exposure. You will notice this when it splatters and splits at the hot-end.
Impurities –
This is a major issue when selecting a 3D printer filament types. Chemical impurities will turn your 3D printing experience into a nightmare because it will lead to poor melted plastic viscosity with debris plugging up the extruder nozzle.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are 3D printers with dual extruders?
Dual extrusion is the process of 3D printing with multiple filaments. You can mix colors or different materials with a print head that has two extruders and nozzles. With two spools loaded the 3D printers with dual extruders’ alternates between them by printing one at a time.
What are the benefits of 3D printers with dual extruders?
3D printers with dual extruders are faster because it eliminates the lengthy process of swapping out one 3D printer filament types for another. Changing filaments, whether for a different color or material, can be a labor-intensive process when done in the middle of a job.
What is a PLA 3D printer filament types?
PLA plastic or polylactic acid is a vegetable-based plastic material, which commonly uses cornstarch as a raw material. PLA 3D printer filament types are a fully biodegradable thermoplastic polymer consisting of renewable raw materials. Among all 3D printing materials, PLA 3D printer filament types are part of the most popular materials used for additive manufacturing.
What is 3d printing most commonly used for?
3D printing is used to produce architectural scale models, enabling a faster turnaround of the scale model and increasing the overall speed and complexity of the objects produced.
Is PLA 3D printer filament types bad for the environment?
PLA is compostable, meaning microbes will break it down harmlessly into biomass and gas within a few months, given the right conditions. They are not biodegradable, since under normal conditions they will break down just as slowly as conventional plastics.
Conclusion:
3D printer filament types are available in different types and a wide range of colors. Although it is also referred to as 3D printer plastic, there are metal, nylon, sandstone, magnet, carbon fiber and even glow in the dark 3D printer filament types that you can use for your next project.
Remember, choosing the best additive manufacturing 3D printer filament types depends on the project you are creating. Furthermore, you should consider what type of object you are printing and how it will be used before deciding what material to use.
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