3D Printing Materials
Nylon (PA12/PA6)
Polyamide (PA), more commonly know as nylon, is a versatile engineering grade material. Whilst performing superbly under large and even repeated stresses, Nylon also possesses great resistance to both chemical and thermal exposure. Suiting it great to mechanical components or parts that see substantial wear in the field. This is our go to material for any engineering grade parts.
ABS
Despite being a difficult material to worth, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is well worth the work. Commonly used in automotive components, LEGO bricks and an wear resistant consumer goods, ABS is an renown for its impact resistant and professional finish. It also has temperature resistance up to 90°C and mild chemical resistance. 3D printed ABS is ideal for parts requiring surface finishing or higher temperature resistance.
PETG
Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG) is one of our favourite materials here at Omniforge. Not only is PETG easy to work with, but PETG parts are often both cheap and functional. On top of this, PETG is food safe, resistant to temperatures up to 70°C and even resists chemical exposure. PETG is perfect for functional consumer and commercial products.
PLA
Polylactic Acid (PLA) is another faviourite here at Omniforge. Between its price, ease of manufacture and versatility. Given its unmatched surface finish off the machine, we recommend PLA for all aesthetic consumer applications. PLA is also available is variety of specialty aesthetic varieties to emulate wood, stone and even metal finished.
ASA
Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA) is the ideal material for parts requiring superb chemical, temperature and UV resistance. Making it suitable for housings, enclosures and casings in outdoor environments.
TPU
Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) is a versatile engineering material. Available is a variety of shore hardness’s, from the rubber like 95A to the impact resistant 68D. We have used TPU in applications from squishy fidgets toys, extreme sport accessories and even orthotics.
Carbon Fibre Filaments
Carbon fibre filaments are made by embedding carbon fibres within other filaments. Usually PLA, ABS, PETG or nylon. This can have the effect of improving wearability of parts, layer adhesion and even improve temperature resistance. In fact, we have seen demos of PLA-CF (PLA carbon fibre) even being resistant to open flames. Carbon fibre filament is best used for parts requiring stiffness or large engineering parts where the warp of Nylon or ABS would make it impossible to manufacture otherwise.
PC
Polycarbonate (PC) is another engineering grade material ideal for parts that need to resist loads under high temperatures. With a heat deflection temperature up to 140°C and an impact resistance between Nylon and ABS, PC is ideal for electronic enclosures or under the hood automotive parts.
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Compare 3D Printing Materials
| Material | HDT (°C) | Tensile Strength (MPa) | Rigidity | UV Resistance | Chemical Resistance | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA | ~55 | 50–60 | High | Poor | Poor | Aesthetic parts, models |
| PETG | ~75 | 50–60 | Medium | Moderate | Good | Functional consumer parts |
| ABS | ~95–105 | 40–50 | Medium | Poor | Moderate | Post-processing, heat resistance |
| ASA | ~95–105 | 40–50 | Medium | Excellent | Good | Outdoor enclosures |
| Nylon (PA12) | ~100–120 | 60–75 | Low–Medium | Moderate | Excellent | Mechanical/wear parts |
| TPU | ~80 | 30–50 | Low (Flexible) | Moderate | Good | Shock absorption, flex parts |
| PC | ~130–140 | 60–70 | High | Moderate | Moderate | Heat/impact resistance |
| Carbon Fibre (CF) | Base Dependent | +10–20% over base | Very High | As base | Improved over base | Stiff, low-warp engineering parts |