The most common FDM 3D printing materials are ABS, PLA, and their various blends. More advanced FDM printers can also print with other specialized materials that offer properties like higher heat resistance, impact resistance, chemical resistance, and rigidity.
| MATERIAL | FEATURES | APPLICATIONS |
|---|---|---|
| ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) | Tough and durable Heat and impact resistant Requires a heated bed to print Requires ventilation |
Functional prototypes |
| PLA (polylactic acid) | The easiest FDM materials to print Rigid, strong, but brittle Less resistant to heat and chemicals Biodegradable Odorless |
Concept models Looks-like prototypes |
| PETG (polyethylene terephthalate glycol) | Compatible with lower printing temperatures for faster production Humidity and chemical resistant High transparency Can be food safe |
Waterproof applications Snap-fit components |
| Nailon | Strong, durable, and lightweight Tough and partially flexible Heat and impact resistant Very complex to print on FDM |
Functional prototypes Wear resistant parts |
| TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) | Flexible and stretchable Impact resistant Excellent vibration dampening |
Flexible prototypes |
| PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) | Soluble support material Dissolves in water |
Support material |
| HIPS (high impact polystyrene) | Soluble support material most commonly used with ABS cURL Too many subrequests. |
Support material |
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Functional prototypes cURL Too many subrequests. |
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ABS
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Clear resins are used for small objects needing highly detailed surfaces or finishes. Colorless, see-through, light, smooth, and water resistant, they’re perfect for products that will be sanded or painted in post processing.
Water washable
Most resin 3D-printed parts need some sort of clean-up to remove errant edges or excess deposits, a process usually done with alcohol solutions. Washable resins don’t need such chemical treatments—you can post-process them with water for a smooth finish.
Flexible
Used when your final product needs to come back to its original shape after bending or compression, these rubbery resins are perfect for prototypes of handles, shock absorbers, or parts that need to withstand sustained twisting or flexing.
Resin methods
Resins are best suited to aesthetic parts and nonfunctional prototypes, and there are three major types of photopolymerization that create them.
Stereolithography
Mirrors are used to direct one or several laser beams across the resin as it’s laid down on the bed of the printer, curing the object as each new layer is applied.
Digital light processing (DLP)
A flash of light cures or sets an entire layer in one go, directed to the build surface by a network of tiny mirrors.
Masked Stereolithography (MSLA)
Just like in stereolithography, except that a light source shines through an LCD screen that contains a mask of the single layer so the light can cure only that layer in each step.
