How to choose: a quick decision guide
Ask in this order.
| If the part... | Choose |
|---|---|
| is a prototype or display model | PLA |
| sees heat | PETG, ABS or ASA |
| lives outdoors | ASA |
| has to flex | TPU |
| takes high stress or wear | Nylon (PA) via SLS |
| needs fine detail or a smooth surface | SLA resin |
When in doubt, PLA or PETG covers most use cases at the best price.
FDM materials: PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU and filled grades
- PLA: easy to print, accurate, many colours, made from renewable resources. Keep it below about 60 °C, away from long moisture, and out of hot cars and outdoor use.
- PETG: handles about 80 °C, with more impact strength and chemical resistance than PLA. Slightly flexible and less brittle. A little prone to stringing.
- ABS: strong, up to about 105 °C. Common in automotive and electronics. Needs an enclosed printer and warps more.
- ASA: like ABS with much better UV resistance. The pick for outdoors. Same enclosure and warping demands.
- TPU: flexible and rubber-like, abrasion resistant. Prints slower and needs a direct-drive extruder.
- Nylon (PA) in FDM: strong with low friction. It absorbs moisture, so the filament must be dried and stored sealed.
- Carbon- and glass-filled grades (PLA-CF, PETG-CF, ABS-CF, ASA-CF, ABS-GF): typically stiffer. Ask us before you design for them.
Our largest FDM printer builds up to 500 × 500 × 500 mm. More on the FDM page.
SLS materials: PA12, PA-CF, PA-GF
SLS prints nylon powder. PA12 is the powder our design rules are written for: strong, slightly flexible, parts nearly equally strong in every direction. PA-CF and PA-GF are the carbon- and glass-filled powders. Ask us first when you design for them. Read the PA12 nylon page or the SLS page.
SLA materials: standard and engineering resin
Standard resin is stiff, hard and holds fine detail, but is more brittle than FDM plastics or SLS nylon. We also print clear and grey parts, and offer an engineering resin for more demanding parts. Tell us what the part has to do. See the SLA page.
Comparison table
| Material | Process | Heat | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLA | FDM | Up to about 60 °C | Easy, accurate, many colours |
| PETG | FDM | About 80 °C | More durable than PLA, slightly flexible |
| ABS | FDM | Up to about 105 °C | Strong, warps more |
| ASA | FDM | Similar to ABS | UV resistant, for outdoors |
| TPU | FDM | Ask us | Flexible, rubber-like |
| Nylon (PA12) | SLS | Ask us | Strong, slightly flexible, low friction |
| Standard resin | SLA | Ask us | Stiff, hard, fine detail, more brittle |
Material price per kg (from our price list)
We quote by the weight of the finished part, so the per-kg price is only part of the story. Setup and handling fees are on the pricing page.
Need advice on a material?
Tell us the load, temperature and environment, and we suggest a material and a process. You can also send the model and we advise in the quote.
