Check out our 3D printing materials guide to learn about all materials used for home and industrial 3D printing today.
When it comes to 3D printing, the sky is (almost) the limit in terms of what materials you can use — and researchers are constantly making new materials 3D printable.
There are a few main material types used in 3D printing. Most common are plastics, which can range from engineering grade, like PEEK, or very easy to use, like PLA. Resin is another common material and it’s used with SLA printers. Composites are another category and, as the name implies, they’re created by combining two materials to get the best properties of each. The last big group of materials is metals. These are only printable using industrial machines.
Take note: In this guide, we focus solely on commercially available 3D printing materials. That means we have excluded materials from this 3D printing materials guide that you can’t buy off the shelves, like food and bio-materials.
If you don’t have access to a printer, or if you really want to ensure that your pieces are high quality, consider hiring a 3D printing service. To find the best one for your needs, check out All3DP’s Price Comparison Service. We provide real-time prices from a variety of services, including Shapeways, i.Materialise, and Sculpteo!
So, for a complete guide to the different materials you can 3D print with, their applications, properties and technologies, read on.
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WHICH MATERIAL SHOULD I USE?
Sorry to say, but it depends. For instance, when 3D printing a food container, you will want to use 3D printing materials that are food-safe, like PETG. If you want to test your design for injection molding on a small scale, you don’t have to use expensive metal since there are thermoplastic options, (Nylon).
Other additive manufacturing technologies, such as Binder Jetting or Stereolithography, have expanded the spectrum of 3D printing materials drastically. Many tasks have been automated that for centuries lay in the hand of artisans alone. Now, they can be performed by anyone with the proper training in 3D modeling and 3D printing. Take for example the wide range of possibilities for producing full-color concept models, architectural models, and visual arts projects: paper (SDL), sandstone (binder jetting), and resin (PolyJet). So, you could argue that 3D printing materials have led to a democratization of rapid prototyping design concepts.
Metal 3D printing materials have enabled shapes and applications that had been unthinkable before. Now it is a common practice for the aerospace industry to produce complex designs in a singular part that use less material, are lightweight, and as a consequence, use less fuel when compared to traditionally manufactured parts.
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PLASTICS
Today, most consumer products are made from thermoplastics. So, this 3D printing materials guide would not be complete without it. This is where plastic 3D printing materials come into play. Designers and engineers prefer to create functional prototypes using 3D printing materials that have the same or very similar properties as the materials used in injection molding, the technology used to create the finished product.
Most of the thermoplastic 3D printing materials can be used in home 3D printing and professional applications alike. The only difference is that professionals are leaning towards Laser Sintering instead of using the Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF).
3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
ABS
Image of 3D Printing Materials Guide: ABS
(Source: Wikipedia)
Remember the quality of Lego bricks? Then you can relate to why ABS plastic is one the most popular 3D printing materials for desktop 3D printing today.
It is readily affordable, strong and lightweight. ABS filament comes in a broad range of colors. There have been concerns about the fumes that ABS emit when reaching its melting point. If you worry about the toxicity of ABS fumes, there are alternatives like PLA. As ABS is 3D printed at 220°C to 250°C, it is advisable to use a heated printing bed and an enclosed build space to control the cooling of this material and prevent warping. Also, 3D printing materials like ABS filament degrade from humidity in the surrounding air, so store it in vacuum bags or containers.
Learn more about ABS: ABS Filament for 3D Printing – All You Need to Know
Technologies: FDM, Binder Jetting, SLA, PolyJetting
Properties: Strong, light, high resolution, somewhat flexible
Applications: Architectural models, concept models, DIY projects, manufacturing
Price: $
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
PLA
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Another crowd favorite in our 3D printing materials guide is PLA, a cornstarch derivative (but sugar cane and tapioca varieties can also be found), which makes it biodegradable. It‘s an easy material to 3D print with and emits a pleasantly sweet fragrance when heated. For this reason, many people prefer it over ABS. Moreover, it is a suitable 3D printing material for single-use food contact and it contracts less than ABS when cooling. However, PLA is less durable than ABS and susceptible to heat. So, for any type of engineering parts, you’ll be better off with ABS.
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12 Vital Facts About Food Safe 3D Printing
PLA is available in a broad range of colors and also comes in a variety of composites, which can give it the appearance of wood or metal, for example. Like ABS filament, PLA degrades from humidity in the ambient air – store it in vacuum bags or containers.
Don’t miss: 2020 PLA Filament Buyer’s Guide
Technologies: FDM, SLA, SLS
Properties: Biodegradable, Food safe
Applications: Concept models, DIY projects, functional models, manufacturing
Price: $
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
Nylon (Polyamide)
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Given its flexibility and strength, Nylon is the premier choice for a wide range of applications from engineering to the arts. Often it is simply referred to as “white plastic”. Nylon prints have a rough surface that can be polished smooth. Among FDM filaments, the layer bonding of nylon is stronger than all others, making it the ideal 3D printing material for parts that require good tensile and mechanical strength. Like other thermoplastics, Nylon degrades from humidity in the surrounding air – if you want to use it for home 3D printing, better store it in airtight containers or bags.
Technologies: FDM, SLS
Properties: Strong, smooth surface (polished), somewhat flexible, chemically resistant
Applications: Concept models, functional models, medical applications, tooling, visual Arts
Price: $
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
PEEK
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PEEK is one of the 3D printing materials designed for high-performance parts. Plastics of this family are highly resistant to stress, temperature, and chemicals. But that’s not all: Parts made from PEEK can be exposed to X-ray and gamma radiation. In spite of its robustness, the material is easy to machine and fabricate. But, the catch about temperature resistance is that your 3D printer has to fire up to 400°C in order to extrude this kind of material – a job better left to a professional 3D printing service. Besides the high price, this may be a no-go for you for safety concerns. Owing to their excellent properties, PEEK 3D printing materials are used in the most demanding applications the automotive, aerospace, chemical and medical industries can muster. That includes medical instruments but also semiconductor components.
Technologies: FDM, SLS
Properties: Bio-compatible, highly durable, heat resistant, hard wearing
Applications: Manufacturing (automotive, aerospace, chemical, and medical industries)
Price: $$$
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
PET
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Next in our 3D printing materials guide is PET: The material water bottles are made of. This material is the second alternative to ABS. Unlike ABS, PET does not emit odorous fumes when melted but it is just as strong and flexible. More importantly, PET does not require a heated bed. This material has a glossy finish and is food safe which makes it a popular choice for many consumer products. Store PET 3D printing materials in vacuum bags or containers to protect against humidity.
Technologies: FDM
Properties: Strong, food safe, flexible, smooth surface
Applications: DIY projects, manufacturing, functional models
Price: $
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
PETG
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PETG is a variant of PET that has been combined with glycol to achieve a number of desirable effects for 3D printing such as high transparency. Moreover, PETG 3D printing materials can be printed at lower temperatures while increasing its flow speed (up to 100 mm/s) which in turn translates into speedier prints. PETG components are weather-resistant and are thus often used for garden appliances. Another selling point is its use as a food-safe 3D printing material. When using for home 3D printing, store this material in vacuum bags or containers to protect against humidity.
Don’t miss: 2020 PETG Filament Buyer’s Guide
Technologies: FDM
Properties: Strong, food-safe, weather-resistant, hardly inflammable
Applications: Concept models, DIY projects, functional models, manufacturing
Price: $$
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
ULTEM
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ULTEM is one of the stunning 3D printing materials that is often found in high-performance applications. On the one hand, plastics of this family are highly resistant to stress, temperature, and chemicals, while at the same they also excel by their ease of machining and fabrication. The catch about temperature resistance is that your 3D printer has to fire up to 400°C in order to extrude these 3D printing materials – a job that should not be done at home for safety concerns and can be outsourced to a professional 3D printing service. Due to their robustness, ULTEM 3D printing materials are used in some of the most demanding applications in the automotive, aerospace, chemical and medical industries. You can find the material in electrical connectors, medical instruments, and chip test sockets
Technologies: FDM, SLS
Properties: Bio-compatible, highly durable, heat resistant, hard wearing
Applications: Manufacturing (automotive, aerospace, chemical, and medical industries)
Price: $$$
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
HIPS
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HIPS has two applications: It is often used as a support material in FDM and SLA printing because it dissolves in the chemical Limonene. Since the two share similar properties, HIPS works best when used in conjunction with ABS. But, as the name High-Impact Polystyrene instantly gives away, HIPS is also an extremely durable material that is suitable for shipping containers or other applications that require high impact resistance. Note that HIPS emits vapors when printed, so air the room while using this material on a home printer. Like many other 3D printing materials, it is susceptible to environmental influences, so be sure to store it in airtight containers or bags.
Technologies: FDM, SLA
Properties: Soluble, highly durable
Applications: DIY projects, support material, shipping containers
Price: $
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PVA
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PVA, like HIPS, is engineered for use as a soluble support material. While other support materials require special chemicals to dissolve, PVA is soluble in tap water. As with most of the other filaments, store it in airtight containers or bags.
Technologies: FDM
Properties: Soluble
Applications: DIY Projects, support material
Price: $
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COMPOSITES
Composites are filaments made up of more than one material to take advantage of their best properties. PLA, for example, offers all kinds of composites, from wood to metal. Other composites are geared towards specific industries or functions, like engineering, for example.
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Conductive
Image of 3D Printing Materials Guide: Conductive
A relatively new addition to the filament market, conductive 3D printing materials enable many exciting new design opportunities for the maker community. This stunning material can be used to create touch sensors in applications that require human interface devices like gaming pads and MIDI machines. Other maker projects include conductive traces in wearable electronic devices and creating interfaces between computers, Arduino boards, and other components to build elaborate DIY projects. Conductive 3D printer filament is usually based in either PLA or ABS plastics. Each of which brings the benefits and problems of the original material to the table. Conductive ABS is stronger and more heat resistant than the PLA variant, but it comes with the same fume problems as normal ABS.
Technologies: FDM
Properties: Conductive
Applications: DIY projects
Price: $$$
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
Metal / Plastic Filament
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All of the “metal” filament sold on the market is actually thermoplastic that has been mixed with low amounts of metal. These 3D printing materials allow you to 3D print components that have the optical properties of 3D printed metal. Also, the metal-plastic-filament is heavier than other thermoplastics. Popular composite 3D printing materials include bronze, copper, steel, and iron. Be aware that your 3D printed parts will require post-processing to get the desired metal appearance. Also, be sure your printer nozzle can handle the material.
Technologies: FDM
Properties: Metallic finish
Applications: Visual arts
Price: $$
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
Alumide
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Alumide is a variation of nylon that has been combined with aluminum particles. In terms of durability and physical properties, this material is very similar to nylon. The difference is found in the shiny, durable and porous surface finish. Components printed with alumide have an excellent size accuracy, are tough and suitable for long term use. Alumide and similar 3D printing materials are highly suitable for various post-processing techniques like polishing or coating.
Technologies: SLS
Properties: Strong, heat resistant, high resolution
Applications: DIY projects, functional prototypes, manufacturing
Price: $
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
Wood
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Human curiosity knows no boundaries. So, it was only a matter of time until engineers successfully experimented with adding wood fibers to plastic filaments. Wood 3D prints can be processed just like the real thing. You can cut it, sand it, or paint it. Although this kind of exotic 3D printing material is aesthetically appealing, it does not have the same functional properties as the original material. You shouldn’t build a chair from wood filament, for example.
Interestingly, you can control the shade of brown in you wood filament by setting the extrusion temperature. While 3D printing at lower temperatures will give you a very light shade, high temperatures will result in a strong, dark brown. So, if you want simulate annual rings in your print, vary the print temperature. Depending on your brand of wood filament, your 3D print will also smell like real wood. Some manufacturers offer a broad selection of this exotic material, like birch, olive, bamboo or willow.
Technologies: FDM
Properties: Fragile
Applications: Conceptual models, visual arts
Price: $$
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS: METALS
Our 3D printing materials guide would not be complete without metal. Metal 3D printing has become especially popular in the aerospace, automotive and medical industries for the ability to produce complex designs that don’t require additional welding or machining. The downside is that these 3D printing materials demand a lot more expertise in terms of engineering and composition than thermoplastics.
Also, you can’t print these materials at home, as metal 3D printing needs high temperatures and large, specialized printers.
If you want to learn more about metal 3D printing, read our extensive article: 2020 Metal 3D Printer Buyer’s Guide
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Aluminum
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Because of its lightness and versatility, aluminum is now one of the most popular 3D printing materials found in a wide range of applications. It is used primarily as different aluminum-based alloys. Components made from aluminum can feature thin walls and complex geometries. They are highly resistant to mechanical stress and high temperatures. This makes them suitable for low-cost prototypes, functional models such as motors, in the automotive and aerospace industries.
Technologies: Direct Metal Deposition, Binder Jetting
Properties: Light, strong, heat resistant, corrosion resistant
Applications: Functional models, manufacturing (automotive & aerospace industries)
Price: $$$
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
Cobalt Chromium
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The next item on this 3D printing materials guide is used in high-performance applications. Cobalt chromium is sometimes called a “super alloy”. This material is mostly used in medical applications and the components for the aerospace industry, like turbines or jet engines. It stands out for excellent properties such as strength, but also its temperature and corrosion resistance, yet still suitable for components with fine features.
Technologies: Direct Metal Laser Sintering, SLM
Properties: Bio-compatible, strong, corrosion resistant, heat resistant, hard wearing, low conductivity
Applications: Manufacturing (medical & aerospace industries)
Price: $$$
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
Copper and Bronze
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Apart from some exceptions, copper and bronze are mostly used for lost wax casting processes and less often in powder bed fusion processes. These 3D printing materials are found in electrical engineering because of their conductivity. But they also draw a large following in the arts and crafts community.
Technologies: Lost Wax Casting, Powder Bed Fusion, Direct Metal Deposition
Properties: Conductive, hard wearing
Applications: Manufacturing (electrical engineering), visual arts
Price: $$$
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
Inconel
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Inconel is a superalloy produced to withstand the most extreme environments. It is composed primarily of nickel and chrome and it has high temperature resistance. In combination with its resilience to extreme pressure, it is the perfect material to manufacture airplane black boxes or even parts of rocket engines. More commonly, these properties are also employed for numerous applications in the oil, and chemical industries. Due to its strength, it is hard to machine this material. Therefore, Direct Metal Laser Sintering is one of the preferred methods to shape it.
Technologies: Direct Metal Laser Sintering
Properties: Heat resistant, hard wearing
Applications: Oil, chemical and aerospace industries
Price: $$$$
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
Nickel
Image of 3D Printing Materials Guide: Nickel
Nickel alloys are popular 3D printing materials for technical applications. Nickel alloy components made using 3D printing are stronger and more durable when compared to nickel alloy parts made using traditional techniques such as casting. This, in turn, allows engineers to make the components thinner, resulting in, for example, more fuel-efficient airplanes. There are many kinds of alloys that combine nickel’s properties with those of other metals, like Monel or Inconel.
Technologies: Powder Bed Fusion, Direct Metal Deposition
Properties: Strong, lightweight
Applications: Manufacturing (automotive and aerospace industries)
Price: $$$$
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
Precious Metals (Gold, Silver, Platinum)
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Most powder bed fusion companies can 3D print with precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum. The challenge here, along with maintaining the materials aesthetic properties, is to make sure that none of the precious powder is lost. That’s why you will mostly find parts that were made using the easier to control lost wax casting technique. Precious metals are used for 3D printing materials for jewelry, medical and electronics applications. Depending on the technology used, some of these materials also are cast.
Technologies: Powder Bed Fusion, Lost Wax Casting, Binder Jetting
Properties: High resolution, smooth surface
Applications: Jewelry, dentistry, functional Models
Price: $$$$$
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
Stainless Steel
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If you are looking for one of the most affordable metals in this 3D printing materials guide, then stainless steel it is. It is also very strong and can be used in a large variety of industrial and even artistic or design applications. This type of steel alloy, which also contains cobalt and nickel, is particularly hard to break, while also boasting excellent elastic and magnetic properties. In case you prefer another color, you can plate it to give it the appearance of, say, gold. This material is used mostly for industrial applications.
Technologies: Direct Metal Deposition, Binder Jetting
Properties: High resolution, corrosion resistant, somewhat flexible, strong
Applications: Tooling, functional models, manufacturing
Price: $$$
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
Titanium
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Pure titanium powder is a commonly used metal for 3D printing. It is certainly one of the most versatile, as it is both strong and light. It is used both in powder bed fusion and binder jetting processes. You will mostly find it in high-performance medical applications, for example, to make personalized prostheses. Other applications for this material include parts and prototypes for the aerospace, automotive, and tooling industries. Apart from the cost, there is another catch: It belongs to a family of highly reactive 3D printing materials, which means it can easily explode when it is in powder form. For this reason, it needs to be 3D printed in a vacuum or in an argon gas atmosphere.
Technologies: Powder Bed Fusion, Binder Jetting, Direct Metal Deposition
Properties: Bio-compatible, high resolution, heat resistant, highly durable
Applications: Tooling, functional models, manufacturing (automotive, aerospace, medical industries)
Price: $$$$
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CERAMICS
(Source: SONY DSC)
Ceramics extend the range of applications in this 3D printing materials guide for everyday use to the point that custom ceramics like coffee mugs have become staple items for online 3D printing services. But with dedicated extruder systems like WASP’s Clay Extruder Kit 2.0, ceramics is now also a viable material for 3D printing at home. The clay is made up of fine-grained particles, other minerals and a certain amount of water that give some plasticity to the material.
When a ceramic part has been printed off it is then turned into solid pottery in a kiln. The water evaporates and the particles melt into each other, setting the shape and increasing the strength of a given component. For a glossy finish, it is covered in glaze and then put in the kiln a second time.
Ceramic 3D prints can be made using like humble FDM to more sophisticated methods like SLA. Wannabe potters can choose between varieties of glass, porcelain, and silicon carbide. Pottery stands out as heat resistant and hard wearing material for 3D printing that is nowadays mostly used in the arts, for tableware and dental implants.
Featured image of Ceramic 3D Printer Guide – All About Ceramic 3D Printing
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Ceramic 3D Printer Guide – All About Ceramic 3D Printing
Technologies: FDM, Binder Jetting, SLA
Properties: Heat resistant, fragile, porous surface, hard wearing
Applications: Visual arts, manufacturing (tableware, dentistry)
Price: $$
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WAX
Wax 3D prints are usually not the end product, but an essential stage in the production process. They are used to produce molds with stunningly high resolution (0.025 mm) for the lost wax casting technique of metal components. It is often employed to create customizable jewelry at a comparatively low price. The second industry that uses this kind of 3D printing materials is the dental medicine industry. You can 3D print complex structures that require supports by using waxes of different melting points and melting the supports off at low temperatures.
Technologies: SLA, PolyJet
Properties: High resolution, smooth surface
Applications: Manufacturing (jewelry, dentistry)
Price: $
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PAPER
With Selective Deposition Lamination (SDL) good old copy paper from the office store around the corner has found its niche in 3D printing. SDL parts have a wood-like feel and are fully colored, making them a popular choice for architectural and other conceptual models. On the downside, SDL parts are less durable than parts made of other 3D printing materials and you won’t get the same level of detail as with materials like PolyJet Resins or gypsum.
Technologies: Selective Deposition Lamination
Properties: Cost-effective, easy to recycle, full-color
Applications: Conceptual models, visual arts
Price: $$
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SANDSTONE
Variously referred to as “gypsum”, or “multi-color”, sandstone is one of the technologies in this 3D printing materials guide able to create spectacular full-color parts in one process. To enhance the quality of the colors and add strength the part is coated with a protective layer of epoxy resin (since sandstone parts that are exposed to water will discolor and leave you with a muddy white model). Also, components made from this material are as fragile as porcelain. Allowances for the material’s weakness should be made already during the design process. Considering the finicky nature of sandstone, it comes as no surprise that it is mostly used for architectural models, conceptual prototypes and art projects.
Technologies: FDM, Binder Jetting, Powder Bed Jetting
Properties: Fragile, full-color
Applications: Conceptual models, visual arts
Price: $$
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RESINS (PHOTOPOLYMERS)
3D Printed Porcelite Ceramic Resin results (Image: Nervous System)
(Image: Nervous System)
Photopolymers are a range of liquid resins that solidify to plastic components and prototypes when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) or visible light. The two main technologies current today are SLA (Stereolithography) and PolyJet. SLA works using a UV laser that traces the shape of an object onto the surface of a photopolymer vat and the resin congeals to form a layer of the object. This operation is repeated for every layer until the object is complete.
PolyJet, on the other hand, follows another approach: A printer head jets a drop of resin onto a bed that is instantly cured by an attached UV lamp. SLA printers deliver a layer height of about 0.1 mm at best, while PolyJet can 3D print as fine as 16 microns. Although both methods are similar and use similar raw 3D printing materials, they differ widely in how these 3D printing materials are can be harnessed. All photopolymers are susceptible to sunlight.
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SLA Resins
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Many SLA resins were designed to simulate the different properties of “traditional” materials mentioned above. For example, you can find a material that is comparable to wax and is used to create wax molds in investment casting. And if you need bio-compatible properties, there is an SLA thermoplastic that is very similar to PLA. Other SLA plastics can be as durable as ABS. There’s even a composite 3D printing material that has properties of ceramics – after 3D printing, you can put the item in a kiln and use it as a ceramic part.
Resins are an excellent choice for functional and concept models. This material is particularly suited to producing large parts in a short span of time, while still maintaining a high degree of detail. Some resins are even strong enough to be machined after curing. Also, high-temperature resins are a cost-effective means to produce injection molds for small-scale production of prototypes. The popularity of SLA resins stems from its superior speed and accuracy. The downside is that resin is still substantially costlier than other items in this 3D printing materials guide.
SLA 3D printers are available commercially and also for home and small office use. They offer an interesting range of semi-professional 3D printing materials
Technologies: SLA
Properties: Smooth surface, somewhat flexible
Applications: Conceptual models, functional models, visual arts, tooling (prototypes)
Price: $$$
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3D PRINTING MATERIALS GUIDE
PolyJet Resins
Image of 3D Printing Materials Guide: PolyJet Resins
(Source: Printshow)
Like SLA resins, PolyJet materials simulate different properties of “traditional” 3D printing materials. Most of the materials available have quite descriptive names. Rigur, for instance, is a material designed for strength. It is also dubbed “simulated propylene” for its similar surface finish and functionality. A range of 3D printing materials is marketed as “Digital ABS” because they are both heat-resistant and tough. “Rubber-like” materials are designed for non-slip surfaces and vibration dampening over molding. Because of the large range, we have decided to forgo a detailed account of every type of PolyJet resin.
However, the major difference between PolyJet and SLA resins lies in the ability to produce what Stratasys calls “Digital Materials”. This is the combination of up to three 3D printing materials to create new and custom materials with an optimal blend of properties (durability, heat resistance, transparency, etc.) for a given part, with the full range of colors. This opens up avenues for many new applications. While others in this 3D printing materials guide can produce a visual approximation of the finished product, PolyJet parts can also convincingly simulate its touch and feel.
PolyJet Resins are an excellent choice for color prototypes of consumer products, for testing with consumer groups. Depending on the 3D printing materials chosen and the desired application, it is possible to produce functional models using these materials, such as form and fit testing. Also, PolyJet Resins are the only 3D printing materials able to simulate overmolded parts. Some varieties of PolyJet resin are suitable for mold-making. Others are used for high-resolution parts that are a perfect fit for visual prototypes, models and props.
Technologies: PolyJet
Properties: High resolution, smooth surface, flexible, heat resistant, transparent
Applications: Conceptual models, visual arts, jewelry, medical manufacturing, tooling (prototypes)
Price: $$$