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3D Printing Materials for Every Application and Budget

We stock a range of materials that you can choose from depending on your application. We only use materials from reputable suppliers to ensure good quality parts and best performance possible.

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In addition to standard materials we also offer more specialist plastics: 

  • ESD safe filament

  • Flame retardant filaments​​​​ (UL94 V0)

​​​For available colour options for each material please use our quoting tool or contact us.

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If you are interested in a material not listed in our quoting tool please get in contact and we will advise on best options for your application.

FDM Materials

PLA (Polylactic Acid)

PLA (Polylactic acid) is probably the most widely used material in 3D printing. It is easy to print and it looks good. 

Importantly PLA is derived from renewable, organic resources such as corn starch or sugar cane. This makes it a bioplastic, setting it apart from traditional petroleum-based plastics. Although technically biodegradable this is only possible in industrial composting conditions.

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​Although PLA is a strong and quite rigid plastic it is not generally recommended for functional parts due its low impact and temperature resistance. ​​

It is an excellent option for aesthetic parts, toys, non-functional prototypes.

PLA 3D printed part
Pros
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  • Low cost

  • Good surface finish

  • Wide range of colours

  • Good dimensional accuracy

  • Good strength and stiffness

Cons
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  • Low impact resistance and endurance

  • Low temperature resistance (only up to 55C)

  • Not UV resistant​

Example use cases: 

Non-functional prototypes, toys, decorative parts used indoors, cosplay, sculptures

PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol)

PETG is widely used material in 3D printing. It is a variant of PET which is commonly used for packaging (e.g. drinks bottles). 

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PETG is a good choice for functional and production parts that do not require ABS/ASA level of impact or temperature resistance. Overall, it has a good balance of properties which makes it a very versatile material.

It is also has good chemical resistance.

PETG 3D printed part
Pros​​
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  • Low cost

  • Good strength

  • Good impact resistance

  • Heat resistant (up to 70C)

  • Good dimensional accuracy

  • Good chemical resistance

Cons
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  • Prints can have thin hairs on the parts from stringing

  • Due to glossy finish surface imperfections can stand out 

Example use cases: 

Functional prototypes, production parts, tooling, cosplay, electronics enclosures etc.

ASA (Acrylic Styrene Acrylonitrile)

ASA is an alternative material to ABS. It's main main benefit over ABS is it's resistance to UV light. This makes it a go to option for parts that are used outdoors.

It has good toughness, high impact resistance, and rigidity same as ABS, making it suitable for demanding functional parts. It is widely used in industrial applications.

ASA (like most other engineering materials) can experience shrinking during printing. This is generally not an issue and affects large parts more than small.

ASA 3D printed part
Pros
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  • Excellent UV resistant

  • Good impact resistance

  • Good strength

  • Good durability

  • Good heat resistance (up to 90C)

Cons
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  • Parts can experience shrinkage

  • Potential for warping during printing

Example use cases: 

Automotive parts like covers and housings, external equipment, functional parts.

Nylon 6/66 (PA 6/66)

Nylon 6/66 (or PA6/66) is a high-performance engineering thermoplastic used in 3D printing for its exceptional mechanical properties. It's a co-polyamide, blending two types of nylon to create a material that has good toughness, flexibility, and durability.

It has excellent resistance to impact, wear, abrasion, and some chemicals such as oils, fuels, and lubricants. This makes it a perfect choice for industrial applications like automotive.

However, the overall excellent material properties do come with some downsides. Namely that the material is subject to shrinking and overhang and bridging printing performance is not perfect.

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Nylon 3D printed part
Pros​​
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  • Excellent strength

  • Excellent impact resistance

  • Resistant to abrasion

  • Low friction coefficient

  • Heat resistant (up to 120C)​

Cons
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  • Relatively high cost

  • Poor overhang printing performance

  • Large parts are prone to warping

  • Parts can experience shrinkage

Example use cases: 

Jigs, fixtures, snap fit components, automotive parts

TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane)

TPU is a flexible material that is a great choice for parts that need to flex and bend. It is a very tough and durable material that is suited for wide range of applications.

However, with flexibility comes low rigidity and strength making it unsuited for structural applications.

TPU comes in various hardness levels. At 3D Printing Forge we use 95A shore hardness TPU which is on the harder end of the scale.

3D printed TPU type
Pros
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  • Flexible

  • Great impact resistance

  • Durable

  • Abrasion resistant

Cons
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  • Slow to print

  • ​Low stiffness

Example use cases: 

Phone case, tyres for RC cars, soft grips, lens caps, vibration dampeners

PC (Polycarbonate)

PC is a strong and tough material that is meant for demanding applications. It has very high impact and heat resistance. For 3D printing PC material includes additives to make it more printable. This however does not change the fact that it is one of the highest performance materials available for 3D printing.

Pros​​
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  • High impact resistance

  • High strength

  • Good durability

  • High heat resistance (up to 110C)

Cons
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  • Not suitable for large prints

  • Parts can warp due to thermal contraction during printing

  • High Cost

Example use cases: 

Functional prototypes, production parts, tooling, parts requiring high toughness, brackets

Resins

Standard Resin

Our standard resin is a great option for wide range of parts. It provides excellent print quality with fine details. It is ideal for parts requiring smooth surface or very fine details. 

The parts have a smooth matt finish.

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Resin 3D Printed part
Pros
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  • Cost effective

  • Excellent print details

Cons
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  • Parts can scratch easily​​

  • Not meant for static load bearing applications

  • Brittle compared to traditional thermoplastics

Example use cases: 

Prototypes, tabletop miniatures, sculptures, part validation for injection moulding

Wear Resistant Production Resin

Our wear resistant resin is well suited for practical applications where parts require the ability to withstand frequent contact. Most resins are prone to scratches and wear easily. This resin is specifically formulated to improve wear and scratch resistance of parts.​

This resin is well suited production parts.

Pros​​
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  • Wear resistant (2H grade surface hardness)

  • Smooth surface finish

  • Resistant to yellowing and performance degradation

Cons
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  • High Cost

  • Not suitable for static load applications

  • Brittle compared to traditional thermoplastics

  • Only single colourr

Example use cases: 

Functional parts, production parts, tooling, custom gears

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