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(WORKING)Material Comparisons

It can be daunting to have literally hundreds of colors and materials to choose from.


PLA, PLA+, PLA-Pro, etc.

  • Stiffest material
    • Bends less easily comparatively
  • Hardest material
    • Highest Brinell/Rockwell hardness
  • Very poor temperature resistance
    • Prints left in hot car will likely deform
  • Very poor impact resistance
    • A PLA hammer would likely become shrapnel upon impact
  • "+" and "Pro" modifiers vary wildly between manufacturers
    • Make no assumptions about the modifiers, either look it up or test it before relying on a new material
  • Opinions
    • Best for aesthetic print quality
    • Seems to creep under significant stresses
    • Favorite material for prototyping (prototypes become finished products if they work the first time)
  • Uses
    • Anything that will live inside a home, but will not have significant stress


TPU, TPE, etc.

  • Softest material
    • Has more in common with rubber than plastic
  • Best impact resistance
  • Adequate temperature resistance
    • Innate flexibility can allow the material's use well above its glass transition temperature
  • Opinions
    • Medium to poor aesthetic print quality
    • Printing a flexible material offers a new door of possibilities for home 3D printers
  • Uses
    • Anything that needs to be flexible or survive regular & significant impacts


PETG, PETG+, PETG-Pro, etc.

  • Prints on most printers capable of PLA
  • Adequate temperature resistance


ABS

  • Requires higher temperature "All Metal" hot end


ASA

  • Requires higher temperature "All Metal" hot end


PC

  • Requires higher temperature "All Metal" hot end


PP

  • Requires higher temperature "All Metal" hot end


PA, Nylon, etc.

  • Requires higher temperature "All Metal" hot end


PE

  • Requires higher temperature "All Metal" hot end






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