3D printer filament part:2

High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS)

High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS)

High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) material is commonly used in the food industry for packaging. HIPS 3D printer filament is biodegradable and has a bright white color, and there are no adverse effects when in close contact with humans or pets.The specific application of HIPS filament in 3D printing is not to fabricate the object itself; the material has curling and adhesion problems, so it’s tricky to work with (especially if you don’t have a heated bed).Instead, it’s very popular for use as a secondary material in dual extrusion 3D printers. It provides structural support to a complex object whose core is printed using ABS as the primary material.Once the print job is complete, the 3D printer filament can be dissolved using a colorless liquid hydrocarbon. It disappears like magic!

HIPS 3D Printer Filament Properties:

• Primary benefits are dual extrusion support structure when paired with ABS 
• Easily removable ABS support structure 
• High durability 
• Low flexibility, minor bending before snapping 
• Soluble in various solvents 
• Not considered food safe 
• General print temperature range is 210°C – 250°C 
• Shrinkage during cooling, enclosed chamber recommended to control cooling speed 
• Heated bed at 50°C – 100°C recommended 
• Printing difficulty is moderate, requires fine-tuning of bed and nozzle temperature.

PolyEthylene Terephthalate (PET)

PolyEthylene Terephthalate (PET)

PolyEthylene Terephthalate (PET) 3D printer filament, also marketed as CPE by Ultimaker, is a fantastic alternative to the ABS or PLA. Its characteristics of strength and flexibility surpass even ABS. PET 3D printer filament is relatively easy to print with, with similar requirements to PLA (and no funky odors in your workshop), and totally recyclable.Good applications for PET are phone cases or mechanical parts that require flexibility and impact resistance or toughness.Also, take a look a PETG 3D printer filament. It’s the cousin of PET improved for 3D printing.

PET 3D Printer Filament Properties:

• Primary benefits are high strength, stiff, lightweight, and impact resistant 
• Ideal for mechanical parts, impact resistance, flexibility, durability 
• High durability 
• Good flexibility, more flexible than PLA or ABS 
• Not soluble 
• Refer to manufacturer guidelines for food safety 
• General print temperature range is 220°C – 250°C 
• Minor shrinkage during cooling 
• Heated bed not required 
• Printing difficulty is moderate, requires fine-tuning of bed and nozzle temperature.

Polycarbonate (PC)

Polycarbonate (PC)

Polycarbonate (PC) is the strongest 3D printer filament on this list. Although it’s very tough, PC is not rigid. It’s resistant to high temperatures and transparent. Up until recently, its use as a 3D printer filament was confined to expensive, high-end industrial 3D printers. The good news is that more and more manufacturers are beginning to offer this valuable material for consumer grade desktop 3D printing. Also, the modern 3D printer get better at printing exotic filaments.Unlike PLA or ABS, Polycarbonate is able to withstand temperatures over 100 °C. This makes it an ideal material choice when working with lighting, engineering, and for any part that will be exposed to high temperatures. Polycarbonate is also known for its high-quality mechanical properties, offering more strength and impact resistance than all other desktop 3D printer filaments.An added benefit of this 3D printer filament is optical clarity so that objects can be rendered with an attractive crystal shine. Further post-processing like sanding and spraying with a clear coat of lacquer to obtain a glass-like transparency.

Polycarbonate / PC 3D Printer Filament Properties:

• Primary benefits are high strength, transparency and heat resistance 
• Ideal for parts exposed to high temperatures 
• High durability 
• Not rigid, more flexible than PLA or ABS
• Soluble in Acetone 
• Not considered food safe 
• General print temperature range is 270°C – 310°C 
• Shrinkage during cooling, enclosed chamber recommended to control cooling speed 
• Heated bed at 90°C – 105°C recommended 
• Printing difficulty is moderate, requires fine-tuning of bed and nozzle temperature.

PolyEthylene coTrimethylene Terephthalate (PETT)

PolyEthylene coTrimethylene Terephthalate (PETT)

PolyEthylene coTrimethylene Terephthalate (PETT), is a cousin of the PET copolymer. PETT 3D printer filament is also marketed as T-Glase by Taulman.It’s a rigid and clear 3D printer filament, whose main characteristics are high strength, transparency (especially when printed

at high layer heights) and biocompatibility. It’s also been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in food containers.

PETT 3D Printer Filament Properties:

• Primary benefits are high strength, transparency, stiff, lightweight, and impact resistant 
• Ideal for mechanical parts, impact resistance, flexibility, durability 
• High durability 
• Good flexibility, more flexible than PLA or ABS  Not soluble 
• Refer to manufacturer guidelines for food safety 
• General print temperature range is 235°C – 240°C 
• Minor shrinkage during cooling 
• Heated bed not required 
• Printing difficulty is moderate, requires fine-tuning of bed and nozzle temperature.

Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)

Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) 3D printer filament is typically used as support when printing an object in PLA or ABS with overhangs that would be otherwise impossible to print. Like HIPS, PVA is a great filament for 3D printers with dual extruders.Because it’s based on polyvinyl alcohol, this material is non-toxic and biodegradable, and it can be dissolved in water.This 3D printer filament can be used on all common desktop FDM 3D printers but requires a heated build platform. Important to note is that you should not exceed printing temperatures above 230˚C.

PVA 3D Printer Filament Properties:

• Primary benefits are dual extrusion support structure when paired with PLA or ABS 
• Easily removable support structure 
• Good durability 
• Low flexibility, some bending before snapping
• Soluble in water 
• For food safety, refer to manufacturer guidelines 
• General print temperature range is 180°C – 230°C 
• Some shrinkage during cooling 
• Heated bed not required 
• Printing difficulty is easy, once temperature, bed height and speed are set.