3D Printing Materials Guide

PLA is the most popular FDM filament: cheap, easy to print, and excellent surface finish with vibrant colors. It's biodegradable and produces minimal fumes.

Where it falls short: softens around 60°C, so it will deform in a hot car or direct summer sunlight. Poor water resistance — degrades outdoors within months. Do not use PLA for anything structural or exposed to the elements.

Ideal for: miniatures, cosplay props, display models, custom gifts, and any prototype handled indoors.

PETG is the best all-purpose functional material. Significantly stronger than PLA, water resistant, handles temperatures up to ~80°C. Prints almost as easily as PLA, making it the default choice for anything that needs to actually work.

Where it falls short: can be slightly stringy and has moderate UV resistance — it won't degrade quickly outdoors but will yellow with prolonged sun exposure. For long-term outdoor parts, use ASA.

Ideal for: replacement parts, custom brackets, outdoor accessories, waterproof enclosures, and functional kitchen or garden items.

ABS is the same material used in LEGO bricks and car dashboards. Handles temperatures up to ~100°C, impact resistant, and can be sanded, drilled, and bonded with acetone.

Where it falls short: poor UV resistance — yellows and becomes brittle in sunlight. If you need UV resistance with heat resistance, use ASA instead.

Ideal for: electronic enclosures, automotive interior parts, power tool housings, and heat-resistant mechanical components that live indoors.

ASA is ABS with UV stabilizers built in. Same heat resistance (~100°C) and mechanical strength as ABS but will not yellow, fade, or become brittle in sunlight. If a part lives outside, ASA is the correct choice.

Where it falls short: more expensive than ABS and overkill for indoor applications.

Ideal for: outdoor signs, garden accessories, RC car bodies, roof-mounted sensor mounts, and any exterior component.

TPU is in a different category — it's flexible, rubber-like, and compressible. With a Shore hardness of ~95A, it behaves more like firm rubber than rigid plastic. Water resistant and impact-absorbing.

Where it falls short: cannot be used for rigid structural parts. Fine details are harder to achieve due to material flexibility. Second-most expensive material available.

Ideal for: phone cases, laptop bumpers, cable strain reliefs, anti-vibration mounts, custom gaskets, and any part that needs to flex, grip, or absorb impact.

Nylon combines very high tensile strength with slight flexibility that absorbs impacts without shattering. It's self-lubricating (useful for gears) and handles temperatures up to 80–110°C.

Where it falls short: most expensive material ($0.20/gram) and hygroscopic — absorbs moisture from air, which can affect dimensional accuracy in humid environments. For most hobby applications, PETG or ABS delivers sufficient performance at lower cost.

Ideal for: functional gears, snap-fit clips, drone frames, motor mounts, robotic components, and engineering prototypes where impact resistance and toughness are critical.