The 3D printer landscape is flooded with new materials, colors and blends. Time to create some overview here. Which 3D printer filaments are there?
Type of filaments
Within the world of 3D printing, there are many different 3D printer filaments. This includes blends of materials, but also colours, finishes and effects. Even within the range of 3D printer materials, things can often go in any direction. In this article we will make a small explanation of the strengths and weaknesses of the materials and the settings to process these 3D printer filaments as best as possible with some basic tips.
Processing 3D printer filaments
Besides the fact that the 3D printing filaments differ per type, there are still a number of settings to keep a close eye on before it can be processed properly. For example, PLA filament is an entry-level material that often cannot go wrong. Support is easy to 3D print and can often be removed and speeds, layer heights and cooling settings can also be used over a wide range. This is not the case with many other filaments. The basic rules for all materials are;
- At a higher speed or a greater layer height, the temperature of the print head must be increased, often by approximately 10 – 15 degrees
- If strength is more important than visual quality when 3D printing, it is best to set the cooling fan as low as possible or turn it off
- Do not set the retraction settings for your 3D printer too high, this will prevent blockages in your print head
- When starting your 3D printer, always look at the first layer with all filaments, to make sure it adheres properly to the printing surface
Printing PLA filament
With PLA filament there are slightly fewer settings that need to be closely monitored to ensure a successful print. Keep the temperature between 190 - 220 degrees Celsius, print surface between 50 - 65 degrees and ensure a speed between 20 - 80 mm/s to get a nice finish. Depending on the print head diameter, PLA filament can best be printed between 0.15 – 0.6 mm per layer. Furthermore, with PLA filament it is advisable to always run the cooling fan at 100% for the best finish and beautiful details and the standard retraction settings for your print head.
Printing ABS filament
Printing ABS filament is often not difficult, provided that a number of things are taken into account. For ABS filament it is often necessary to create a warm room around the prints, where the ABS filament is surrounded by a temperature of approximately 35 degrees Celsius. This ensures that the ABS filament does not come loose from the printing surface and gets the best layer bond. For the rest, ABS filament is best printed between 240 - 260 degrees Celsius and the print surface at 100 degrees Celsius. Speeds and other settings are the same as with PLA filament, but with ABS filament you only want to have the cooling fan completely turned off.
Printing from PETG filament
Printing PETG filament certainly does not fall into the most challenging classes of 3D printing with different filaments. PETG filament falls exactly between PLA and ABS. PETG filament often has excellent adhesion to the printing surface at approximately 80 degrees Celsius and is generally processed between 230 - 250 degrees Celsius. For the best details, the cooling fan is best run between 30 - 70% capacity and for the best results you can set the retraction settings of the print head slightly higher, so that a little more material is retracted.
Printing from nylon filament
These last 3D printer filaments are a bit more difficult to process than the above three. The first is nylon. Nylon filament is known for its high processing temperatures, its strong mechanical properties and its chemical resistance. On the other hand, it also has disadvantages and these are the properties of nylon filament to suck air into the material (hygroscopic material), it is sensitive to warping on the printing surface and it must therefore be stored properly. For the best results with nylon filament you will need to maintain a temperature of the print head of approximately 250 - 270 degrees Celsius and on the print surface approximately 80 - 90 degrees Celsius. The print fan must be completely turned on for the best layer binding of nylon filament and you can keep the retraction settings of your 3D printer as good as standard. In general, nylon filament does not come in many colors, due to the properties of the material. White, natural and black are the most common.
Printing of TPU flexible material
Next is printing TPU flexible material. TPU is a special filament that is characterized by its high flexibility and high impact resistance. It can be used excellently for gaskets due to its chemical resistance, but it has the disadvantage that it is difficult to treat afterwards and cannot be glued together well. When printing with TPU flexible material, there are two points that must be paid close attention to. The first is speed of printing, which must be slow. A print speed of approximately 30 mm/s is no exception, make sure that this is always the same throughout the entire 3D print with every movement. The following are the retraction settings of your 3D printer. You have to turn this off. Due to the flexible properties of the material, things can go wrong if you want to withdraw print material into the print head, so let this go. For the rest, the temperatures and settings of TPU flexible filament are not strange. Best printed at a temperature between 215 - 235 degrees Celsius, with the print surface at approximately 50 degrees Celsius, but not necessary.
Printing polycarbonate filament
Polycarbonate filament is the hardest filament of the above list of 3D printer filaments. Polycarbonate has approximately the same properties as ABS filament. Mechanically, polycarbonate filament, also called PC, is slightly stronger, it is easy to rework and can withstand external heat well. The disadvantage of polycarbonate filament is the fact that it is sensitive to UV radiation and therefore loses its strength without a coating and that it is difficult to process without warping and having a good layer bond. Polycarbonate filament can normally be printed at approximately 270 degrees Celsius, with the printing surface at approximately 100 degrees Celsius. The cooling fan should also be completely turned off here for the best layer binding and the retraction settings can be kept almost standard. Also keep this filament in a dry and closed space. Polycarbonate filament can be ordered in multiple colors.
Conclusion compare 3D printer filaments
Before starting a 3D print, it is important to ask a number of questions that the 3D print must meet. Based on this, a good choice can be made as to what kind of 3D printer filament is needed to meet this requirement. For a basic prototype, PLA is often sufficient, but if it has to withstand more, you should go towards ABS, PETG and nylon filaments. For end products that have to experience great mechanical resistance, you often need polycarbonate filament or TPU flexible filament for chemical applications. The overview below can be used perfectly as a basis for choosing a 3D printer filament, after which a purchase can follow. Need further advice? Contact Filamentz!
Which 3D printer filaments are there?
There are different types of 3D printer filaments available, namely:
- PLA filament
- ABS filament
- PETG filament
- Nylon filament
- TPU filament
- Polycarbonate filament
- Carbon filled filaments