3D Printer Materials Guide

The two primary technologies used for desktop 3D printing are fused deposition modeling (FDM) and stereolithography (SLA). For those new to 3D printing, FDM technology feeds melted plastic filament through a nozzle that traces out a design one layer at a time from the bottom up. SLA technology, builds the layers of a print by curing resin with specific wavelengths of light. These two types of 3D printers use different materials for printing. FDM machines use filament and SLA machines use resin.

If you are working with an FDM printer, you will use one of two sizes of filament: 1.75mm or 2.85mm. It’s very important to check which diameter of filament your 3D printer uses because using the wrong size will cause failed prints and can even damage your machine.

Every FDM 3D printer has slightly different characteristics so keep in mind the temperature, speed, and functional ranges of your printer when choosing filament. Resin is the input material for SLA 3D printers. It is a viscous liquid that comes in bottles, whereas FDM filament is solid and comes in rolls. With open print settings enabled on an SLA printer, most resins are compatible so temperature and speed of your printer are not an issue. To decide which type of resin you want to use, you should think about the purpose of the model and what properties you want it to have.

FDM 3D printers, like the Pulse, use filament, whereas SLA printers use resin.

This guide breaks up printing materials into four categories based on function and purpose so you can decide which is needed for your project.

General Purpose: If you’re a 3D designer who wants to print detailed models or a hobbyist looking to get started with 3D printing.
Functional: If you’re looking to produce functional prototypes that simulate a material you want to create your end product in.
Aesthetic: If you’re a 3D designer or hobbyist looking to play around with different effects that serve a more aesthetic than functional purpose.
Application Specific: If you’re a dentist, jewelry maker, engineer, or artist, looking for specialty materials that are used for industry specific purposes including dentistry, casting, electronics, and ceramics.

Whether you’re new to 3D printing or are an experienced maker looking to experiment with new material options, this guide will help you explore all the different material possibilities your printer can work with.

General Purpose

FDM

PLA (Polylactic Acid)

PLA is made from bio materials like cornstarch, sugar cane and tapioca root which makes it biodegradable. When heated, it gives off a sweet aroma that smells similar to syrup. Unlike ABS, it doesn’t give off toxic fumes so an enclosure isn’t necessary. In general, PLA is less temperamental and requires a lower temperature to print than ABS and does not need a heated build plate. The layer bonding is very strong with PLA , however, the material itself is brittle and will break or crack if you drop it. If you need something for engineering purposes then a tougher material might be more appropriate.

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Bucky Bowl printed in PLA by Frew — PLA is great for printing classroom models, prototypes, and more.

FDM

Dissolvable & Breakaway Support Materials

3D printing support materials are great for printing parts that have complex overhangs or featured. Most support materials will either dissolve in water, like PVA, breakaway, or dissolve in chemicals - like how HIPS support material dissolved in limonene. There are support materials that work for nearly every 3D printing material, including more advanced, functional materials like Nylon.

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Support materials allow you to print more complex parts using dual extrusion 3D printers.

FDM

PETG (Polyethylene terephthalate - with a glycol modification)

PETG is both flexible and sturdy, making it a great material for functional, engineering quality products. It’s chemically resistant and does not absorb water like many other materials. PETG has a similar price range to PLA and ABS and is mechanically similar to ABS though it can be printed without a heated build plate and is extruded between 220-250 C. The layer bonding is very strong which allows it to be used in mechanical parts, drones, and wearable technology.

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Aria the Dragon by Louise Driggers, 3D printed by Makersplace in PET+ — PETG 3D printing filament is a durable and easy-to-print material

SLA

Standard Resin

Standard resin is great if you are creating a prototype of a product that won’t undergo intense stress from functional use. It comes in a variety of colours and will leave your prints with a smooth surface finish. Since SLA printers are capable of producing finer details in parts, this resin is commonly used by engineers or designers who are prioritizing the look of the print rather than function.

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Han Solo by milostutu 3D Printed on a Form 2 in clear resin — MatterHackers' mascot 3D Phil printing in epoxy-free MH Build Series Resin

Functional

FDM

Tough PLA

Tough PLA is an amazing option for those looking to take a step up from regular PLA to start creating stronger parts. Tough PLA is easy-to-print like regular PLA, but it has equal, if not greater strength when compared to ABS. You can also anneal Tough PLA to make it stronger - you can learn more about that process from our friends at MatterHackers here. Tough PLA is perfect for creating jigs, fixtures, and custom tooling on nearly any 3D printer available.

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FDM

ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)

ABS has a higher melting point than other filaments and needs a heated build platform to prevent warping. It is also slightly stronger than PLA so if you are looking for strength in a print, ABS might be the way to go. Its strength and durability will give your print a longer service life, but it has poor UV resistance which is not ideal if you plan on using your print outdoors. ABS is also known to give off harmful fumes during printing so an enclosure and ventilation are recommended.

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FDM

Nylon (Polyamide)

Nylon is a low friction material that boasts very high strength and durability. The material is flexible especially for thinner models. Its layer bonding is the strongest of all commonly used FDM filaments. Some types of nylon are used in medical devices, toys, and FDA approved products. For proper storage, it should be kept in a non-humid environment and dried using the Printdry PRO filament drying system before using.

Shy Light by Virtox 3D printed in nylon by Frew — Nylon is great for projects that require high impact strength.

FDM

Carbon Fiber-Infused NylonX

Carbon Fiber-Infused NylonX is a strong material that's been engineered for functional 3D printed parts. This top-quality nylon is blended with chopped carbon fibers making it extra rigid and a great option for potentially replacing aluminum machined parts. This extra rigidity also makes it easier to print, as it warps less than standard Nylon. Like regular Nylon, you'll want to dry NylonX before printing using - we recommend using the Printdry PRO filament drying system.

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Carbon atom design by Roman Hegglin printed in Proto-pasta’s carbon fibre PLA — NylonX is a solid materials that's perfect for printing functional parts.

FDM

Ionic Hi-Temp Support Material

Ionic Hi-Temp Support Material is a hybrid support material that is both water soluble and breakaway. The best part about this material is that is that it is designed to work with high temperature materials like nylon - this means that you can create more complex models using more advanced materials which was not possible before.

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FDM

Flexible Filament (TPE and TPU)

Flexible filaments are typically made of polyurethane or polyethylene. They can be challenging to print because the filament tends to buckle in the extruder which can cause print failures. For best results, we recommend printing with a direct drive extruder and printing at higher extrusion temperatures. Slowing down print speeds will also help to avoid failed prints. For more detailed instructions on how to successfully print with flexible filament, check out the MatterHackers' article on How to Succeed with Flexible Filament .

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Sleek and flexible 3D printed wallet - design by barb_3dprinty

FDM

316L Stainless Steel Metal Filamet

The dream of being able to print with real metal on any dektop 3D printer is now a reality. Stainless Steel 316L filament from BASF Forward AM is a material that can be 3D printed, debound, and sintered, leaving you a completely metal part. This material is great for manufacturers and designers looking to create custom, one-off metal components and even small-batch manufacturing. For more information, check out the MatterHackers' article on How to Succeed with Metal Filament.

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You can print with real metal on any desktop 3D printer.

SLA

Tough Resin

Tough resins are specially made for durability and impact strength. Much like ABS plastic, tough resin is best used for functional, engineering related parts. Tough resin can withstand high amounts of stress and elongation before failure.

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Drone made in Tough Resin by Formlabs — Tough 3D Printing Resins are great for eningeering applications.

SLA

Flexible Resin

SLA also has flexible resin that allows you to print bendable and functional parts. It is especially useful for ergonomic prototypes like handles and grips. Although FDM printers sometimes require special nozzles for printing flexible filament, resin printers do not require any special add-ons for printing with flexible resin.

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Thank-you Stamp printed in flexible resin -design by Zach Frew

SLA

High Temperature Resin

High Temperature 3D printing resins are the perfect material for applications that expose your print to high temperatures like mold prototyping, environmental testing, fluidics, and even some electronic enclosures.

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High-temp resin is great for numerous engineering projects.

Aesthetic

FDM

Silky PLA

If you are looking for a material that really shines and sparkles, you might want to consider using a silky PLA. This material prints just like any other PLA (easy to use, versatile, comes in a wide variety of colors) but the finished result has a stunning sheen that will really make your prints pop. </a>

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Silky PLA will really make your projects pop - like 3D Phil!

FDM

Wood Filament

Filament like Woodfill and Laywood are made from a combination of plastic infused with wood fiber and polymer binders that allow it to be extruded with similar settings to PLA. This allows you to emulate a wood like appearance and feel. Because wood filaments are PLA based, they don’t require a heated bed to print. You can oftentimes change the color of the filament by changing the temperature. This can be used to create a neat layered effect much like real wood. For more details on post processing wood prints, check out MatterHackers' article on 3D printing wood finishing techniques.

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Check out how to stain wood-infused PLA parts to get your desired effect.

FDM

Metal Filled PLA

Metal filled filaments are made by combining PLA with metal powder. The four most popular metal composites are bronze, copper, steel, and iron. The metal powder makes it around four times heavier than standard PLA. Although it looks and feels like metal when printed, it does require some post processing to capture the full effect. Before post-processing, Bronze PLA typically has a dull, rough appearance and the goal is to bring bronze particle to the surface of the object. Check out MatterHackers' article on post processing metal-infused filaments for more details on how to sand and smooth metal prints. To learn more about optimal settings for metal composites, check out another one of MatterHackers' articles here.

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Nefertiti bust by Adafruit printed in metal-infused PLA

Application Specific

FDM

Conductive PLA

Conductive PLA offers a number of options for basic, low voltage applications. Examples of applications include LEDs and Arduino projects. Conductive PLA as a general rule will work with anything that can be run through a 1000 ohm resistor. Although the material is sturdy, it shouldn’t be used for heavy mechanical applications. Conductive PLA can adhere to standard PLA which is very helpful if you want to print circuits on top of a regular PLA print.

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Photo source: 3Ders — Explore Proto-pasta conductive PLA filament.

SLA

Castable Resin

Castable resin is used for making investment cast molds at high detail. Design your part in CAD, 3D print it in a castable material, and use that printed part in investment casting as you would a wax model. Castable resins burn out cleanly with minimal ash or residue left behind to clean up, which makes it ideal for parts like jewelry, miniatures, or small mechanical components.

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Castable resin is often used by jewelry makes.

SLA

Dental Resin

3D printing resins designed for dentistry are great for producing detailed models and prototypes. Because teeth are unique, accurate wax castings of crowns, bridges, partial denture bases, and even surgical guides are critical within the dental industry. SLA 3D printing is a great way for dentists to create models with confidence.

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Many dentists use SLA 3D printing to create accurate models and surgical guides.

SLA

Resin for Making Jewelry

Jewelry makers will often use wax castable resins to create rings, earrings, necklaces and more. Because many jewelry designs have intricate patterns and features like prongs and surface details SLA 3D printing makes a great choice because it's great for capturing every minute detail.

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Check out jewelry models that have been uploaded to Pinshape.