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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
    • Generally bends less easily than other materials
  • Hardest material
    • HighestResists Brinell/Rockwelldeformation hardnessby a pointy thing better than most
  • Very poor temperature resistance
    • Prints left in a hot car will likely deform
  • Very poor impact resistance
    • A PLA hammerHammer would+ likelyNail become= bitsPlastic of shrapnel upon impactShrapnel
  • "+" and "Pro" modifiers vary wildly between manufacturers
    • Make no assumptions about the modifiers,modifiers; either look it up or test it before relying on aEVERY new material
  • Moisture
    • Increased stringing with more moisture 
    • Decreased toughness (embrittlement) with extended moisture exposure (Some old PLA gets brittle)
      • Most transparent, translucent, and silk filaments seem to be less affected by moisture
  • Opinions
    • Best for aesthetic print quality
    • Seems to creep under significant stresses
    • Favorite material for prototyping $$$ (prototypes become finished products ifwhen they work the first time)
  • Uses
    • Anything that will live inside a home, but will not have significantlarge physical stress placed upon it
  • Exceptions
    • Protopasta HTPLA (High Temperature Polylactic Acid)
      • Prints like normal PLA then heat treated at increasing temperatures, and get ~100c heat deflection
    • Lay-Filaments Reflect-O-Lay Flexible PLA
      • Prints and physically acts like soft TPU/TPE
      • Feels somewhat "fuzzy" and a lot like rubber


TPU, TPE, Flexible-PLA, etc.

  • Softest material
    • Has more in common with rubber than plastic
  • Best impact resistance
  • Adequate temperature resistance
    • Innate flexibility can allow the material'sallows use well above itsthe glass transition temperature
  • Moisture
    • FilamentTPU and TPE filaments MUST be dry!
    • Moist filament has horrible print quality
    • SteamWeaknesses bubblesare create weaknessescreated in each layer by Steam bubbles
  • 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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