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Materials
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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PLA
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PETG
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ABS
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ASA
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PA-CF
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PC
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TPU
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Resins
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For available colour options for each material please use our quoting tool.
We also offer specialist materials (for example ESD safe or flame retardant). If you are interested in speciality materials not listed in our quoting tool please get in contact and we will advise on best options for your application.
PLA (Polylactic Acid)
PLA (Polylactic acid) is probably the most widely used material for 3D printing. It is easy to print and looks good.
Although PLA is a strong and quite rigid plastic it is not generally recommended for functional production parts due its low impact and temperature resistance.
Pros:
Good surface finish
Wide range of colours
Good dimensional accuracy
Low cost
Good strength and stiffness
Good chemical resistance
Cons:
Low impact resistance and endurance
Low temperature resistance (only up to 55C)
Not UV resistant
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Example use cases:
Prototypes, toys, decorative parts used indoors, cosplay, sculptures, parts that do not have to withstand shock loads etc.
Material Specification:
PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol)
PETG is widely used material in 3D printing that is gaining more and more popularity. It is a variant of PET which is commonly used for packaging (e.g. drinks bottles).
This is a good choice for functional and production parts that do not require ABS/ASA level of impact or temperature resistance.
Pros:
Good strength
Good impact resistance
Heat resistant (up to 70C)
Low cost
Low warping during printing
Glossy finish
Good chemical resistance
Cons:
Prints can have thin hairs on the parts from stringing
Due to glossy finish surface imperfections can stand out
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Example use cases:
Functional prototypes, production parts, tooling, cosplay, enclosures for electronics etc.
Material Specification:
ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
ABS is a widely used plastic that is very commonly used to make injection moulded parts. Its strengths are impact and temperature resistance. This makes it a great choice for functional parts.
Pros:
Good impact resistance
Good durability
Heat resistant (up to 95C)
Low cost
Cons:
Parts can warp and crack due to thermal contraction during printing
Not UV resistant
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Example use cases:
Functional parts, production parts, enclosures for electronics etc.
Material Specification:
PA-CF (Nylon with carbon fibre)
Pure nylon is a difficult material to print as it is sensitive to temperature changes. By adding chopped carbon fibres into the material it makes it a lot stiffer, stronger and easier to print.
PA-CF is a great material for functional parts that require high mechanical strength and high temperature resistance.
Pros:
High strength
Good durability
Good heat resistance (up to 120C)
Attractive matt surface finish
Cons:
High cost
Slow print
Only available in black
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Example use cases:
Functional parts, production parts, tooling, decorative parts requiring a nice matt surface finish
Material Specification:
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. As ASA was developed as an alternative to ABS it has lot of similar properties.
Pros:
UV resistant
Good impact resistance
Good strength
Good durability
Good heat resistance (up to 90C)
Cons:
Parts can warp and crack due to thermal contraction during printing
Cost is higher than ABS
Example use cases:
Functional parts, production parts, parts used outside
Material Specification:
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:
High impact resistance
High strength
Good durability
High heat resistance (up to 110C)
Cons:
Parts can warp due to thermal contraction during printing
High Cost
Example use cases:
Functional parts, production parts, tooling, parts requiring high toughness
Material Specification:
TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane)
TPU is a blend of hard plastic and rubber. This makes it very flexible material and great choice for parts that need to flex and bend. It has low rigidity and strength.
Pros:
Very flexible
Good vibration dampening
Good impact resistance
Cons:
Difficult to print large parts
Poor bridging characteristics
Likely to experience stringing
Example use cases:
Phone case, tyres for RC cars, soft grips
Material Specification:
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Resins
3D printing resins solidify when exposed to UV light. By precisely controlling where resin gets exposed to UV light we can print incredibly detailed models. Due to the need for the resin to be UV sensitive, material choice for resin printing is not as wide as for FDM printing. However, new materials are being developed every day.
Pros:
Can produce very fine detail
Almost no visible layer lines
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Cons:
High cost
Every print requires post processing
Limited material choice
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Example use cases:
Miniatures, prototypes for
Available resins:
Siraya tech Build (Sonic Grey)
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Non-brittle, tappable,
Siraya tech Blu (Nylon Black)
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Tough