3D Printing Materials Guide
3D Printing Materials Guide
Choose the Right Material for Your Part
PLA+
PLA+ is the most economical FDM option for visual models, colour studies, architectural models, display parts and early design prototypes. It produces a clean, rigid finish and is available in the widest range of colours and decorative finishes.
Choose PLA+ when appearance, speed and cost are more important than heat resistance, UV stability or long-term mechanical performance. It is well suited to indoor concept models, presentation parts, basic fit checks and low-stress components.
PLA+ is not recommended for hot vehicles, permanent outdoor use, sustained clamping loads or parts exposed to repeated impact. For functional testing, the same model can later be quoted in PETG, ABS, ASA or another engineering material.
Design guidance: use practical wall thickness, avoid very thin snap features and add fillets where posts or bosses meet a larger surface. Mark the important cosmetic face in your order notes.
Quoting guidance: upload the final STL, confirm the displayed dimensions and select the actual colour and quantity required.
Material guidance is indicative. Geometry, orientation and operating conditions affect actual performance.
PETG
PETG provides a practical balance of cost, toughness and chemical resistance. It is suitable for brackets, covers, mounting plates, guards, cable-management parts and general-purpose functional components.
Compared with PLA+, PETG is less brittle and better suited to regular handling, light impact, water exposure and humid environments. Its slight flexibility improves impact tolerance but can make it less suitable for long unsupported spans.
Choose ABS, ASA, nylon or polycarbonate where higher heat resistance, UV stability, wear performance or stiffness is required.
Design guidance: use continuous walls, fillets around screw bosses and realistic clearance for sliding or snap-fit assemblies. Broad washers or thicker sections may be required around fasteners.
Quoting guidance: include chemical exposure, operating temperature, outdoor conditions and load direction where relevant.
Manufacturing time is typically 2–5 business days, excluding shipping.
ABS
ABS is a durable engineering thermoplastic with good impact resistance, moderate heat capability and reliable performance in functional assemblies.
It is commonly used for equipment housings, automotive interior parts, machine covers, brackets and prototypes that must withstand repeated handling, vibration and moderate warmth.
For permanent outdoor exposure, ASA is normally preferred because it provides better UV and weather resistance. For higher heat and impact capability, consider polycarbonate.
Design guidance: reinforce fastener locations, add fillets around changes in section and avoid thin unsupported walls.
Finishing: ABS can be sanded, filled or vapour-smoothed, but cosmetic finishing can affect dimensions around mating features.
State expected temperature and whether the part will be used outdoors.
ASA
ASA provides strength and impact performance similar to ABS with significantly better resistance to sunlight, rain and long-term weathering.
Typical applications include exterior covers, sensor housings, signage brackets, drone components, garden equipment, site hardware and outdoor machine parts. ASA-CF can provide additional stiffness.
Outdoor parts should include drainage where water may collect, sufficient wall thickness around fasteners and allowance for temperature cycling.
Design guidance: avoid sealed pockets that trap water and reinforce mounting points. Dark colours can run hotter in direct sunlight.
Quoting guidance: include expected service life, sun exposure, rain, coastal conditions and colour requirements.
For complex outdoor nylon parts, compare dyed SLS PA12.
Nylon (PA6 / CoPA)
Nylon is suitable for components exposed to wear, repeated flexing, fatigue and impact. Typical applications include clips, guides, gears, cable-management parts, robot mounts and wear pads.
Compared with many rigid FDM materials, nylon is tougher and better suited to repeated movement or sliding contact.
Nylon absorbs moisture, which can affect dimensions, stiffness and fit. PA12-based materials may be more appropriate for humidity-sensitive or tolerance-critical components.
Design guidance: use ribs where more stiffness is required, maintain consistent thickness through flexible clips and allow clearance for moisture-related dimensional change.
Quoting guidance: include expected load, cycles, lubrication, mating material and operating environment.
A first article is recommended for close-tolerance fits.
Nylon6 CF (PA6-CF)
PA6-CF combines nylon toughness with short carbon-fibre reinforcement to improve stiffness, dimensional stability and resistance to deflection.
It is suitable for drone arms, automation brackets, camera rigs, tooling plates and machine fixtures where unfilled nylon would be too flexible.
The material remains direction-dependent because it is FDM printed. It is not equivalent to continuous-fibre composite.
Design guidance: align critical load paths with the strongest print orientation, use generous fillets and avoid relying on small Z-direction features for structural tension.
Quoting guidance: include load, bolt arrangement, environmental exposure and humidity requirements.
Compare PA12-CF when lower moisture uptake is required.
Nylon12 CF (PA12-CF)
PA12-CF is a premium carbon-fibre nylon with lower moisture absorption than PA6-based materials.
It is suitable for high-value fixtures, precision jigs, inspection aids and end-use components requiring stiffness and improved dimensional stability.
PA12-CF remains direction-dependent and should not be treated as equivalent to machined metal or continuous-fibre composite.
Design guidance: add fillets around stress concentrations, avoid knife-edge features and identify critical datum faces in the order notes.
Quoting guidance: provide critical dimensions, load direction, environment and quantity.
For larger batches or complex geometry, compare SLS PA12.
Polycarbonate (PC)
Polycarbonate is one of the strongest and most heat-resistant FDM materials in our range.
It is suitable for protective guards, electrical housings, tooling, clips and components near motors or warm equipment where impact and temperature exceed the capability of PETG or ABS.
Thin walls, sharp notches and unsupported features can reduce reliability. PCCF may be considered where additional stiffness is required.
Design guidance: use generous fillets, avoid sharp internal corners and provide enough material around screws and inserts.
Quoting guidance: provide service temperature, exposure duration, load and impact risk.
Continuous heat exposure must be assessed separately from brief peaks.
TPU 95A
TPU 95A is a flexible thermoplastic for bumpers, grips, feet, vibration pads, wearable parts and some prototype sealing applications.
Final flexibility depends heavily on wall thickness, geometry, infill and load direction. The same material can feel soft in a thin section and nearly rigid in a thick section.
TPU is not suitable for rigid precision parts. Critical gaskets or seals must be tested in the final assembly.
Design guidance: use uniform wall thickness and avoid abrupt thick-to-thin transitions. Thin sections may stretch or tear under repeated use.
Quoting guidance: include target hardness, compression, chemical exposure, temperature and service life.
Functional sealing performance requires application-specific testing.
Wood-based PLA
Wood-based PLA contains wood fibre to create a natural timber-like appearance and texture. It can be sanded, stained, sealed and finished after printing.
It is intended for architectural models, display pieces, awards, props and decorative prototypes where appearance is more important than engineering performance.
It is not recommended for structural, outdoor, high-load or high-temperature applications.
Design guidance: allow enough surface material for sanding and keep structural spans modest.
Quoting guidance: include sanding, staining, coating and presentation requirements so visible surfaces can be considered during orientation.
Use standard PLA+ for broader colour choice.
Standard Resin
Standard Resin is intended for high-detail presentation models, masters and product components where surface quality and small-feature definition are the main requirements.
Clear, grey, black and white options may be available. Clear resin can be used for visualisation and light guides, but optical-grade clarity is not guaranteed without additional finishing.
Standard Resin is generally more brittle than engineering thermoplastics and is not the preferred option for aggressive snap fits or repeated impact.
Design guidance: provide drainage for hollow geometry, avoid sealed cavities and identify cosmetic or transparent faces.
Service note: SLA is offered for suitable batch-production projects rather than general one-off printing.
Typical manufacturing time is 10–15 business days.
Tough Resin
Tough Resin is formulated for better impact resistance, flex and functional handling than Standard Resin.
It is suitable for batch-produced enclosures, clips, latches and connectors requiring fine detail with improved durability.
It should not be assumed to match ABS exactly; performance depends on resin, geometry, orientation and post-cure process.
Design guidance: use longer snap beams, reinforce screw bosses and avoid highly stressed sharp internal corners.
Project brief: include snap-fit cycles, assembly method, impact requirements and cosmetic faces.
SLA is available for suitable batch-production projects.
High Temp Resin
High Temp Resin is used for suitable batch-produced fixtures, mould tools and components that must retain shape at elevated temperature after the specified post-cure process.
It provides high stiffness and thermal capability, but it is not intended for living hinges, repeated impact or flexible components.
Published temperature ratings depend on cure conditions, geometry, section thickness and applied load.
Design guidance: use robust sections, provide clean drainage and avoid thin unsupported features.
Quoting guidance: provide temperature, duration, load and whether exposure is continuous or intermittent.
Datasheet peaks are not guaranteed service limits for every geometry.
Nylon PA12
SLS PA12 is a durable nylon for end-use parts, clips, housings, ducting, living hinges and low-volume production.
The powder bed supports the part during manufacture, allowing complex geometry and internal channels without breakaway support structures.
Mechanical properties are more uniform than FDM, although they are not perfectly isotropic.
Design guidance: provide powder escape paths for hollow volumes and realistic clearance for print-in-place assemblies.
Finish: the standard surface is matte and slightly grainy. Dyeing improves colour consistency but does not create a glossy moulded finish.
SLS is particularly effective for repeat batches and complex nylon parts.
Nylon PA12 Glass Filled
Glass-filled PA12 provides greater stiffness, heat resistance and dimensional stability than unfilled SLS PA12.
It is suitable for jigs, fixtures, brackets and housings that must resist bending or maintain alignment under clamp load.
It is less suitable for living hinges, repeated flexing and high-impact applications because the glass reinforcement reduces ductility.
Design guidance: use generous fillets, avoid very thin cantilevers and provide broad load-spreading areas around bolts.
Quoting guidance: include clamp load, operating temperature, critical dimensions and quantity.
Use unfilled PA12 where toughness and flex matter more than stiffness.
Concept & display
For concept models, colour studies and presentation parts, begin with appearance, cost and review purpose. PLA+ on FDM provides the widest colour range and the lowest-cost route for early design reviews. Wood-based PLA is suitable when a timber-like appearance is required.
For suitable batch-production work requiring smoother surfaces, fine text or transparent parts, Standard Resin may be the better process. Clear SLA can be used for visualisation and light transmission, but optical-grade clarity is not guaranteed.
Choose the process based on how the part will be reviewed. FDM is usually sufficient for internal design checks, while SLA may be justified for customer presentations, photography or detailed batch components.
How to brief us: state whether the part is for an internal review, customer presentation, photography or final display. Identify cosmetic faces and finishing requirements.
Next step: open the recommended material, confirm colour and quantity, then upload the final file at the correct scale.
Functional prototype
Functional prototypes must survive assembly, handling and realistic use. PETG is the standard FDM starting point for brackets and housings. ABS provides improved impact and heat resistance.
For suitable SLA batch work requiring fine detail and improved handling durability, Tough Resin may be considered. It should not be treated as identical to ABS.
Move to nylon, carbon-fibre nylon or polycarbonate when wear, repeated loading or higher temperature becomes part of the requirement.
How to brief us: provide load, direction, assembly cycles, fastener type, temperature and expected service life.
Next step: order a first article, test fit and function, then lock the CAD revision before a larger quantity.
Outdoor / UV
For long-term sunlight and weather exposure, ASA is the preferred FDM option. ASA-CF can provide additional stiffness.
For complex outdoor nylon components or repeat production, dyed SLS PA12 may be considered. It provides more uniform mechanical behaviour than FDM and avoids breakaway support marks.
Outdoor parts should include drainage, sufficient wall thickness around fasteners and allowance for temperature cycling. Avoid PLA+ and standard ABS for permanent outdoor service unless protected.
How to brief us: include outdoor life, direct sun, rain, coastal exposure and colour.
Next step: upload the final geometry and identify mounting orientation so drainage and UV-facing surfaces can be assessed.
Wear & moving parts
Gears, clips, hinges, guides and sliding contacts require toughness and fatigue resistance. Unfilled Nylon is the standard FDM starting point.
PA6-CF and PA12-CF provide greater stiffness. SLS PA12 is suitable for living hinges, complex clips and repeat production.
Wear performance depends on contact pressure, speed, lubrication, mating material, surface finish and print orientation.
How to brief us: provide cycles, sliding speed, contact load, mating material, lubrication and likely failure mode.
Next step: start with nylon or SLS PA12 and test a first article before production quantities.
Heat exposure
Heat-sensitive applications require the actual temperature, exposure duration and load to be considered together. ABS covers moderate heat, while polycarbonate and PCCF suit higher-temperature FDM applications.
For suitable SLA batch-produced fixtures, High Temp Resin can provide high thermal capability after post-cure. Glass-filled SLS PA12 is useful where stiffness under heat and load is required.
Published values depend on geometry, load and test method. Peak datasheet temperatures are not guaranteed continuous service limits.
How to brief us: provide actual temperature, duration, load and whether the part is enclosed near a heat source.
Next step: select the closest material and test a first article in the actual thermal environment.
Flexible & soft
When a part must bend, compress or rebound, TPU 95A is the main option for grips, bumpers, feet, covers and vibration pads.
Tough Resin is not a rubber substitute, but it may suit batch-produced parts requiring fine detail, improved impact resistance and limited flex.
Wall thickness, geometry and infill strongly affect TPU flexibility. A thin wall may feel soft, while a thick wall can feel nearly rigid.
How to brief us: state whether you need rubber-like behaviour or limited compliance. For seals, provide compression, chemicals, temperature and service life.
Next step: validate functional sealing or flexibility in the final assembly before ordering a larger quantity.
Batch production
For repeat production of durable nylon parts, SLS provides efficient nesting, consistent surface finish and complex geometry without breakaway support structures.
Unfilled PA12 is suitable for most clips, housings and ducting. Glass-filled PA12 is the stiffer option for jigs and structural brackets.
Batch production should begin with a first article or pilot quantity where dimensions, fit and performance are critical.
How to brief us: include total quantity, dye colour, cosmetic requirement, critical dimensions and revision-control requirements.
Next step: enter the complete quantity in the quote tool for the correct batch price and maintain an approved production revision.
Fine detail / clear
For suitable batch-produced parts requiring fine features, small text and smooth surfaces, SLA is generally the preferred process. Standard Resin reproduces detail more cleanly than FDM.
Clear Standard Resin can be used for visualisation, light guides and transparent prototypes. Polishing or coating may be required, and optical-grade clarity is not guaranteed.
Small text, engraved markings and cosmetic faces should be identified before production so support placement and finishing can be planned.
How to brief us: provide minimum feature size, transparency requirements, cosmetic faces and whether the part is a mould master or finished component.
Next step: upload the final batch geometry and include surface, clarity and finishing requirements. SLA is not offered as a general one-off service.
FDM vs SLA vs SLS
Use this comparison to identify the most suitable process before selecting a specific material. Final performance still depends on geometry, orientation, post-processing and operating conditions.
| Factor | FDM | SLA | SLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material type | Thermoplastic filament | Photopolymer resin | Nylon powder |
| Best for | Functional parts, rapid iteration and broad material choice | Fine detail and smooth batch-produced parts | End-use nylon and repeat production |
| Surface finish | Visible layer lines | Very smooth | Matte powder texture |
| Mechanical behaviour | Strong but direction-dependent | Resin-dependent; generally less ductile | More uniform than FDM |
| Supports | Required on some geometry | Required and removed after printing | No breakaway supports |
| Typical tolerances | Approx. ±0.3 to 0.5 mm | Approx. ±0.1 to 0.2 mm on small features | Approx. ±0.2 to 0.3 mm |
| Typical lead time | 2–5 business days | 10–15 business days | 10–15 business days |
| Relative cost | $ | $$ | $$$ |
Choose FDM when
Cost, speed and material variety are the main priorities. It is the standard choice for most prototypes, brackets, housings, jigs and fixtures.
Choose SLA when
Fine detail and smooth surfaces are required for suitable batch-production work. SLA is not offered as a general one-off service.
Choose SLS when
You need durable nylon, complex geometry, minimal support marking or repeat batch production.
Materials Guide FAQs
What is the most economical material for a quick prototype?
PLA+ is generally the most economical choice for visual prototypes, basic fit checks and low-stress indoor parts. PETG is usually the better starting point when the part must also withstand regular handling.
Which material is best for outdoor use?
ASA is the preferred FDM option for UV and weather exposure. ASA-CF can provide additional stiffness. SLS PA12 may suit complex outdoor nylon parts or repeat production.
What should I use for a strong functional bracket?
PETG or ABS may suit moderate loads. Nylon and carbon-fibre nylon are better where wear, fatigue or stiffness is important. Polycarbonate is suitable where heat and impact occur together. SLS PA12 is useful for complex end-use brackets and repeat batches.
Can I order transparent parts?
Clear SLA resin can be used for suitable batch-produced transparent components and visualisation parts. Polishing or coating may be required, and optical-grade clarity is not guaranteed. PETG can be translucent but retains FDM layer lines.
What is the difference between Tough Resin and Standard Resin?
Standard Resin prioritises surface quality and detail. Tough Resin provides improved impact resistance and handling durability, but should not be assumed to match ABS exactly.
When should I choose SLS PA12 over FDM nylon?
Choose SLS PA12 for complex geometry, minimal support marking, more uniform mechanical behaviour or repeat production. FDM nylon is generally more economical for simpler low-quantity parts.
Do you print carbon-fibre materials?
Yes. FDM options may include PA6-CF, PA12-CF, ASA-CF and polycarbonate carbon fibre. These use short-fibre reinforcement and remain direction-dependent.
How do I get material advice?
Include the application, operating environment, load, temperature, UV exposure, flexibility, quantity and critical dimensions in your quote notes, or email [email protected].
How to quote the right material
Use this guide to select a starting material, then confirm the actual operating conditions before ordering. FDM manufacturing is typically 2–5 business days. SLA and SLS are typically 10–15 business days and may require a manufacturability review. Shipping time is additional.
- Application: Explain what the part does and where it will be used.
- Environment: Include heat, UV, moisture, chemicals and outdoor exposure.
- Load: Describe load direction, impact, vibration and expected cycles.
- Quantity: Enter the complete required quantity for accurate batch pricing.
- Finish: Identify cosmetic faces, colour, dyeing or transparent requirements.
- File: Upload the correct revision at the correct scale and check all dimensions before ordering.