3D Printing Materials Guide

Numerous materials are used for additive manufacturing. The materials used for 3D printing are as different as the products that result from the process. As such, 3D printing is adequately adaptable to permit makers to decide the shape, texture and strength of a product. Best of all, these qualities can be accomplished with far fewer steps than what is normally expected in conventional methods of production. Moreover, these products can be made with various kinds of 3D printing materials.

For a 3D print to be acknowledged as a completed item, an itemized picture of the plan is initially submitted to the printer. The details are rendered in standard triangle language (STL), which conveys the intricacies and dimensions of a given design and allows a computerized 3D printer to see a design from all sides and angles.

Basically, an STL design is the equivalent of multiple flat designs in one computerized file.
After over a year of research, countless filament spools, and hundreds of hours of printing, our team is proud to present the Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide.

PLASTIC

Out of all the raw materials for 3D printing in use today, plastic is the most common. Plastic is one of the most diverse materials for 3D-printed toys and household fixtures. Products made with this technique include vases, desk utensils and action figures. Available in bright colors as well as transparent form — of which lime green and red are particularly popular — plastic filaments are sold on spools and can have either a shiny or matte texture.

With its flexibility, firmness, smoothness and bright range of color options, the appeal of plastic is easy to understand. As a relatively affordable option, plastic is generally light on the wallets of creators and also consumers.

Plastic products are generally made with FDM printers, in which thermoplastic filaments are melted and molded into shape, layer by layer. The types of plastic used in this process are usually made from one of the following materials:

Polyastic acid (PLA): One of the eco-friendliest options for 3D printers, polyastic acid is sourced from natural products like corn starch and sugar cane and is therefore biodegradable. Available in soft and hard forms, plastics made from polyastic acid are expected to dominate the 3D printing industry in the coming years. Hard PLA is the stronger and therefore more preferred material for a broader range of products.

Polyvinyl Alcohol Plastic (PVA): Used in low-end home printers, PVA is a suitable plastic for support materials of the dissolvable variety. Though not suitable for products that require high strength, PVA can be a low-cost option for temporary-use items.

Polycarbonate (PC): Less frequently used than the aforementioned plastic types, polycarbonate only works in 3D printers that feature nozzle designs and that operate at high temperatures. Among other things, polycarbonate is used to make low-cost plastic fasteners and molding trays.

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS): Valued for its strength and safety, ABS is a popular option for home-based 3D printers. Alternately referred to as “LEGO plastic,” the material consists of pasta-like filaments that give ABS its firmness and flexibility. ABS is available in various colors that make the material suitable for products like toys and stickers. Increasingly popular among craftspeople, ABC is also used to make jewelry and vases.

Plastic items made in 3D printers come in a variety of shapes and consistencies, from round to flat and to grooved and meshed. A quick search of Google images will show a novel range of 3D-printed plastic products such as Incredible Hulk action figures, mesh bracelets, and cog wheels. For the home craftsperson, polycarbonate spools can now be purchased in bright colors at most supply stores.

METAL

The second-most-popular material in the 3D printing industry is metal, which is utilized through a process known as direct metal laser sintering or DMLS. This technique has already been embraced by manufacturers of air-travel equipment who have used metal 3D printing to speed up and simplify the construction of component parts.

DMLS printers have also caught on with makers of jewelry products, which can be produced much faster and in larger quantities — all without the long hours of painstakingly detailed work — using 3D printing.

Metal can produce a stronger and arguably more diverse array of everyday items. Jewelry makers have used steel and copper to produce engraved bracelets on 3D printers.

The technology for metal-based 3D printing is also opening entryways for machine manufacturers to ultimately use DMLS to produce at speeds and volumes that would be impossible with current assembly equipment. Supporters of these developments believe 3D printing would allow machine-makers to produce metal parts with strength superior to conventional parts that consist of refined metals.

In the meantime, the use of 3D parts is taking off in the aerospace industry.

The range of metals that are applicable to the DMLS technique is just as diverse as the various 3D printer plastic types:

Titanium: The preferred choice for strong, solid fixtures.

Stainless-steel: Ideal for printing out utensils, cookware and other items that could ultimately come into contact with water.

Bronze: Can be used to make vases and other fixtures.

Nickel: Suitable for the printing of coins.

Aluminum: Ideal for thin metal objects.

Gold: Ideal for printed rings, earrings, bracelets and necklaces.

In the printing process, metal is utilized in dust form. The metal dust is fired to attain its hardness. This allows printers to bypass casting and make direct use of metal dust in the formation of metal parts. Once the printing has completed, these parts can then be electro-polished and released to the market.