3D printing can seem daunting to many people as the technology is demonstrated on the news to create all sorts of weird and wonderful products, even human tissue. For the average person though, there are 6 main aspects that you should be aware of
3D printing can seem daunting to many people as the technology is demonstrated on the news to create all sorts of weird and wonderful products, even human tissue. For the average person though, there are 6 main aspects that you should be aware of when 3D printing. These are terms we will discuss with you as variables to alter quotes and will help you understand exactly what you need from the printer.
1) Plastic types
*Note* We now are capable of supplying industrial-grade, maximum quality SLA and Polyjet 3D prints using UV cured resin. This particular service is completely unique and separate from plastic extrusion printing, thus the following guide does not apply. A specific guide for SLA and Polyjet printing is available on that link.
There are two main plastic types used in small-scale 3D printing, Polylactic Acid (PLA) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). There are five other plastics we print from in unique cases; Polyethylene terephthalate (PETT) ‘T-Glase’ and Nylon by Taulman 3D, ‘Polymax’ and ‘Polyflex’ by Polymaker and ‘Woodfill by Colorfabb. These are all thermoplastics, able to be heated, molded and cooled rather easily and safely, hence their popularity in 3D printing. Each plastic has its advantages and disadvantages, for any job we will advise on which option suits your needs best. We are always looking into new experimental filaments so this list will continue to grow.
- Our plastic of choice that we print most of our jobs in is PLA, a hard and brittle plastic. This plastic is easy to use, fast to print from, affordable and has a glossy surface finish. We also have a large amount of colours of PLA available at any time. PLA has a big advantage of handling large prints well due to its ability to hold its shape while cooling. PLA’s disadvantage is that it is susceptible to UV damage and deform under heat (above 60*C). Prints in PLA should not be left out in the sun on a hot day or used in any application where ambient temperatures exceed 60 degrees celsius.
- The second most common 3D printed plastic we use is ABS. ABS plastic is well-known for strong, flexible and durable and it can survive harsh outdoor conditions better than any other 3D printing plastic. ABS is great for end-use components and functional parts like those used in 3D printers. ABS’ disadvantage is that it is slightly more difficult to print from which can result in longer lead times. ABS does not handle large objects as effectively as PLA does (parts greater than 180mm wide).
- The third commonly used plastic is Polymaker’s Polymax. Polymax filament is a special type of PLA which exhibits extremely strong mechanical properties for 3D printed parts while being rather easy to print from like normal PLA. It is easy to post-process and overall a superior PLA. Polymax only comes in white and black at this stage and is slightly more expensive than PLA or ABS prints.
The other four plastics we offer are specialty materials which are as unique as they are difficult to print from. These four we keep in limited supply and will always advise whether it is worth attempting prints in them. If your application calls to test the limits of 3D printing and you want to see something brand new, by all means inquire about these plastics and we will explain how we can get them working for you. Each of these four plastics has a higher cost to print from due to more expensive materials and slower print speed required.
- T-Glase filament (PETT) and nylon are a specialised industrial-strength plastics which are most similar to polycarbonate of all 3D printing plastics. They both offer high strength and high temperature stability while T-Glase does come in a translucent colour to simulate polycarbonate. These two plasti