Filaments

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.