3D Printing Materials Guide
3D Printing Materials Guide
Comprehensive guide to materials, settings, and brand ratings
🟢 PLA (Polylactic Acid)
Best For: Beginners, general purpose printing, decorative items, prototypes
Properties
- Print Temperature: 190-220°C (nozzle), 50-60°C (bed)
- Strength: Moderate
- Flexibility: Low (brittle)
- Heat Resistance: Low (softens around 60°C)
- Water Resistance: Low
- UV Resistance: Moderate
- Odor: Minimal (sweet smell when printing)
Print Settings
| Setting |
Value |
| Nozzle Temperature |
200-210°C (optimal: 205°C) |
| Bed Temperature |
60°C |
| Print Speed |
50-60 mm/s |
| First Layer Speed |
20-30 mm/s |
| Retraction Distance |
1.5-2.5mm (direct drive), 4-6mm (Bowden) |
| Retraction Speed |
40-50 mm/s |
| Cooling Fan |
100% after first layer |
| Part Cooling |
Essential for overhangs |
Best Practices
- Store in dry environment (use desiccant if humid)
- No heated bed required, but 60°C improves adhesion
- Use brim or raft for small parts or poor adhesion
- Excellent for detailed prints with fine features
- Easy to sand and post-process
- Biodegradable under industrial composting conditions
Top Filament Brands (2024-2025 Ratings)
| Brand |
Rating |
Price Range |
Notes |
| Sunlu |
4.6/5.0 |
$15-20/kg |
Excellent value, consistent quality, wide color selection |
| Bambu Labs |
4.8/5.0 |
$20-25/kg |
Premium quality, excellent for Bambu printers, consistent |
| Flashforge |
4.5/5.0 |
$18-22/kg |
Good quality, reliable, good for Flashforge printers |
| Hatchbox |
4.7/5.0 |
$20-25/kg |
Consistent quality, reliable, popular choice |
| Overture |
4.6/5.0 |
$18-22/kg |
Good value, consistent, includes build surface |
| Polymaker |
4.7/5.0 |
$22-28/kg |
Premium quality, excellent for technical prints |
| eSun |
4.5/5.0 |
$16-20/kg |
Good budget option, reliable |
🔴 ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
Best For: Functional parts, high-temperature applications, automotive parts
Properties
- Print Temperature: 240-260°C (nozzle), 90-100°C (bed)
- Strength: High
- Flexibility: Moderate
- Heat Resistance: High (up to 100°C)
- Water Resistance: High
- UV Resistance: Low (degrades in sunlight)
- Odor: Strong (requires ventilation)
Print Settings
| Setting |
Value |
| Nozzle Temperature |
240-260°C (optimal: 250°C) |
| Bed Temperature |
90-100°C |
| Print Speed |
40-50 mm/s |
| First Layer Speed |
20-30 mm/s |
| Retraction Distance |
2.0-3.0mm (direct), 5-7mm (Bowden) |
| Retraction Speed |
40 mm/s |
| Cooling Fan |
0-20% (minimal to prevent warping) |
| Enclosure |
Required (prevents warping and cracking) |
Best Practices
- Enclosure Required: Must use enclosed printer or build enclosure
- Ventilation: ABS emits fumes – use in well-ventilated area
- Bed Adhesion: Use ABS slurry, hairspray, or PEI sheet
- Warping Prevention: Use brim (5-10mm), keep chamber warm
- Post-Processing: Can be acetone smoothed for glossy finish
- Storage: Keep dry, ABS absorbs moisture
⚠️ Warning: ABS emits potentially harmful fumes. Always print in a well-ventilated area or use an enclosure with filtration. Not recommended for bedrooms or living spaces.
Top Filament Brands
| Brand |
Rating |
Price Range |
Notes |
| Polymaker |
4.7/5.0 |
$25-30/kg |
Excellent quality, low warping, consistent |
| Hatchbox |
4.6/5.0 |
$22-28/kg |
Reliable, good value, consistent |
| Sunlu |
4.5/5.0 |
$18-22/kg |
Good budget option, decent quality |
🔵 PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol)
Best For: Functional parts, outdoor use, food-safe applications, mechanical parts
Properties
- Print Temperature: 240-250°C (nozzle), 70-80°C (bed)
- Strength: High
- Flexibility: Moderate (more flexible than PLA)
- Heat Resistance: Moderate (up to 80°C)
- Water Resistance: Excellent
- UV Resistance: Good
- Odor: Minimal
Print Settings
| Setting |
Value |
| Nozzle Temperature |
240-250°C (optimal: 245°C) |
| Bed Temperature |
70-80°C |
| Print Speed |
40-50 mm/s |
| First Layer Speed |
20-30 mm/s |
| Retraction Distance |
2.0-3.0mm (direct), 5-7mm (Bowden) |
| Retraction Speed |
35-40 mm/s (slower than PLA) |
| Cooling Fan |
30-50% (moderate cooling) |
Best Practices
- More stringing than PLA – tune retraction carefully
- Sticks well to PEI, glass, or textured beds
- Can be difficult to remove from build plate – let cool completely
- Excellent layer adhesion – very strong prints
- Good for parts requiring chemical resistance
- Can be transparent/translucent in some formulations
Top Filament Brands
| Brand |
Rating |
Price Range |
Notes |
| Overture |
4.7/5.0 |
$20-25/kg |
Excellent quality, consistent, good value |
| Polymaker |
4.8/5.0 |
$25-30/kg |
Premium quality, excellent clarity options |
| Sunlu |
4.6/5.0 |
$18-22/kg |
Good value, reliable, wide selection |
| eSun |
4.5/5.0 |
$18-22/kg |
Good budget option, consistent |
⚪ PC (Polycarbonate)
Best For: High-strength parts, high-temperature applications, transparent parts
Properties
- Print Temperature: 270-310°C (nozzle), 100-120°C (bed)
- Strength: Very High
- Flexibility: Low (brittle)
- Heat Resistance: Very High (up to 120°C)
- Water Resistance: Excellent
- UV Resistance: Excellent
- Odor: Moderate
Print Settings
| Setting |
Value |
| Nozzle Temperature |
270-310°C (optimal: 290°C) |
| Bed Temperature |
100-120°C |
| Print Speed |
30-40 mm/s (slow) |
| First Layer Speed |
15-20 mm/s |
| Retraction Distance |
2.0-3.0mm |
| Cooling Fan |
0% (no cooling – prevents cracking) |
| Enclosure |
Required (high bed temp, prevents warping) |
Best Practices
- High Temperature Required: Need all-metal hotend (PTFE tube will degrade)
- Enclosure Essential: Prevents warping and layer separation
- Dry Filament: Must be completely dry – use filament dryer
- Bed Adhesion: Use PC-compatible adhesive or PEI at high temp
- Slow Printing: Print slowly to ensure proper layer bonding
- Post-Processing: Can be annealed for increased strength
⚠️ Advanced Material: PC requires high temperatures and specialized equipment. Not recommended for beginners. Ensure your printer can handle 270°C+ temperatures.
Top Filament Brands
| Brand |
Rating |
Price Range |
Notes |
| Polymaker |
4.8/5.0 |
$35-45/kg |
Premium quality, excellent for technical applications |
| Prusament |
4.7/5.0 |
$40-50/kg |
High quality, consistent, premium price |
🟡 TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) – Flexible
Best For: Flexible parts, gaskets, phone cases, wearables
Properties
- Print Temperature: 220-230°C (nozzle), 50-60°C (bed)
- Strength: Moderate
- Flexibility: Very High (rubber-like)
- Heat Resistance: Low
- Water Resistance: Good
- Shore Hardness: 85A-95A (varies by brand)
Print Settings
| Setting |
Value |
| Nozzle Temperature |
220-230°C |
| Bed Temperature |
50-60°C |
| Print Speed |
20-30 mm/s (very slow) |
| Retraction Distance |
0.5-1.0mm (minimal) or disable |
| Retraction Speed |
20-30 mm/s (slow) |
| Flow Rate |
95-100% (reduce slightly) |
| Direct Drive |
Highly recommended |
Best Practices
- Direct Drive Preferred: Bowden tubes can cause issues with flexible filament
- Slow Speed: Print very slowly to prevent jams
- Minimal Retraction: Too much retraction causes jams
- Dry Filament: TPU absorbs moisture – keep dry
- No Supports: Avoid supports when possible (difficult to remove)
- Bed Adhesion: Sticks well to PEI or textured surfaces
Top Filament Brands
| Brand |
Rating |
Price Range |
Notes |
| Overture |
4.6/5.0 |
$25-30/kg |
Good quality, reliable, various hardness options |
| Polymaker |
4.7/5.0 |
$30-35/kg |
Premium quality, consistent |
| NinjaTek |
4.8/5.0 |
$35-45/kg |
Premium flexible filaments, various formulations |
📊 Material Comparison Summary
| Material |
Difficulty |
Strength |
Flexibility |
Heat Resistance |
Best Use Case |
| PLA |
⭐ Easy |
⭐⭐⭐ Moderate |
⭐ Low |
⭐ Low |
General purpose, beginners |
| PETG |
⭐⭐ Moderate |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ High |
⭐⭐ Moderate |
⭐⭐ Moderate |
Functional parts, outdoor |
| ABS |
⭐⭐⭐ Hard |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ High |
⭐⭐ Moderate |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ High |
High-temp, functional |
| PC |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Hard |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very High |
⭐ Low |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very High |
High-strength, high-temp |
| TPU |
⭐⭐⭐ Hard |
⭐⭐ Moderate |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very High |
⭐ Low |
Flexible parts, gaskets |
💡 Pro Tip: Always store filaments in airtight containers with desiccant to prevent moisture absorption. Moisture causes poor print quality, stringing, and layer adhesion issues. Consider investing in a filament dryer for materials like PETG, TPU, and PC.
