Types of FDM 3D Printer Filaments

Filament is one of the most important 3D printing ingredients because no object can be formed without it. There are many various types of filament available, each with its own set of qualities and printing temperatures.

One of the most important components of 3D printing is choosing the right material for the job at hand. In this article, we’ll look at the many types of 3D printer filament. This will help you make better informed judgments about filament for your 3D printer.

What is 3D Filament?

3D printing filament is a thermoplastic feedstock for 3D printers that use fused deposition modelling. Thermoplastics are a form of plastic that may be used to make 3D filaments. When heated to the proper temperature by the hotend, thermoplastics become flexible. The extruder then pushes the filament into the hotend. It enables the printer to sculpt the filament before it cools down, allowing you to construct your desired shapes.

Filaments for 3D printers exist in a variety of sorts, and the one you choose may be determined by the thing you’re attempting to construct. One or more types of filaments can be used in 3D printers.

You’ve come to the right place if you want to learn about the many types of filaments and support materials available for 3D printers, their uses, and how they compare to one another.

–PLA Filament

PLA, or polylactic acid, is one of the most extensively used materials in desktop 3D printing. Because it can be produced at a low temperature and does not require a heated bed, it is the default filament for most extrusion-based 3D printers.

–ABS Filament

ABS filament is great for “wear and tear” applications and is utilized by a range of manufacturing industries for parts that require structural integrity and detail. It’s often used to test product impact resistance and durability in fast prototyping and additive manufacturing scenarios.

–PETG Filament

It’s an excellent material for lightweight items like potted planters, insulated bottles, and containers. Although it is 100 percent recyclable, recycled material may have a softer surface, making it more susceptible to wear and tear.

–PETT Filament

PETT has an extremely low shrinkage factor compared to other high-temperature filaments like ABS or Nylon. This simply means that it is less prone to warping, which is one of the most aggravating issues to deal with while 3D printing.

–Nylon Filament

The low friction of nylon 3D printer filament allows for more movement. As a result, it’s a good choice for pieces that need to move around freely. Nylon is a durable material that withstands impact. It’s for this reason that it’s a popular choice for prototyping.

–PVA Filament

PVA is widely used as a support material for complicated prints because when it’s exposed to water, it dissolves, making it an excellent support structure material for 3D printing. PVA supports can be used to print exceedingly complicated shapes or those with partially enclosed chambers, and they can be easily removed by dissolving in warm water.

-Sandstone Filament

It’s primarily utilised for cosmetic and texture purposes, but it can also be used for architectural, museum, and landscape display purposes, as well as structural aspects. It’s made of PLA with fine chalk powder to give it a stone-like feel.

–Wood Filament

Wood filaments are excellent at disguising the layer lines between your print’s layers. Because the lines between layers will be less visible, you can probably print with a much bigger layer height for simple forms. Using conventional wood sand paper, many wood-based filaments can be simply post-processed.

-Metal Filament

It is made up of a plastic base with metal particles equally distributed throughout. Metal-infused filament for metal components is a special sort of composite filament that, when used properly, can produce strong, chemically resistant, and practically solid metal parts.

–HIPS Filament

HIPS filament is commonly used on prototypes because of its great dimensional stability, as well as its ease of fabrication, painting, and glueing. HIPS is a type of plastic that is extensively used in the manufacture of household appliances, toys, and product packaging.

-Magnetic Iron Filament

Magnetic filament allows for a wide range of 3D printing applications, including magnetic sensors and actuators, magnetic stirrers, and simulation of cast iron parts. It demonstrates the potential of this filament in the educational field, in addition to its electrical uses.

-Conductive Filament

Conductive filament is a new type of material that is ideal for modest DIY electronic projects or circuits. PLA is commonly used as the base material, however other materials (such as ABS) are sometimes employed. Graphitized carbon material or graphene, among other additions, are found in the majority, if not all, conductive filaments.

–Carbon Fiber Filament

Carbon fibre composites have traditionally been employed for structural design, where greater weight translates to higher lifecycle costs or poor performance. Carbon fibre composites can be used to make a variety of items, including bicycle frames, aeroplane wings, propeller blades, and automobile components.

–TPE Filament

TPE is used in dampeners, non-slip boots, phone cases, and other applications because it quickly deforms and compresses to counter loads, making it extremely durable. Although difficult to print with at times, the results are typically well worth the effort.

-Glow in the Dark Filament

It is similar to regular filament, but it lights after being charged with light. Additives like strontium aluminate, as well as zinc sulphide and calcium sulphide, absorb UV light and re-emit it as visible light.

-Amphora Filament

Amphora can quickly print effective, durable, efficient, and appealing items because to its unique mix of low processing temperature and high temperature resistance. These qualities allow Amphora to be used at a wider range of temperatures, resulting in more consistent results and less waste.

We hope this guide gave you a good insight about the the different filaments available. There are other types, obviously, but these are the most used. Before you pick the proper filament for your next project, look over a few options and make an educated decision.

Article written by Neeharika Bisht for 3Docity.com.au

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.