There are a lot of different 3D printing materials out there. Here’s how to pick the right one for your project.
The most popular type of 3D printing is called fused deposit modeling, which uses filament on a spool to create 3D objects. This is the most common style of 3D printer for hobbyists and most small businesses, because FDM printers are easy to buy, and the filament material is cheap and plentiful. There are, however, different types of filament, each one good for certain projects and terrible for others.
It’s important to choose both the right type of material and the right brand of that type, be it PLA, ABS or something more exotic. Here are the best of each of the five main filament types.
Those categories are
Ataraxia Art
In this article about this flexible PLA I explained how, although this isn’t technically PLA, it does print much easier than TPU, a more common flexible filament. I used it to print an amazing Mandalorian Blacksmith helmet for my 4-year-old. She can’t break it because it’s so bouncy.
This isn’t for newbies, though. It took a lot of trial and error to get the setting for my 3D printer right, and because it is so soft the accuracy can be pretty wonky. But for something that’s different from normal PLA, it is worth checking out.
