3D printing filaments i have some first- or second-hand experience with, in no particular order:
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3D printing filaments i have some first- or second-hand experience with, in no particular order:
- PLA: naaah. no real benefits to it except "it prints fast" i guess. 1/10
- PP: incredibly finicky (requires the use of special materials for bed adhesion!) but very chemically inert. 5/10
- PETG: stringy, yes, but very strong, excellent interlayer and bed adhesion, great transparency, all in all fantastic filament, i default to it. 10/10
- PCTG: an upgrade from PETG in terms of mechanical toughness but the hotend temperature seems to be stuck between "not enough interlayer adhesion" and "too much warpage". bed adhesion is either "too much" or "too little" but PEO plus bed glue seems to do the trick. 8/10
- PA 6/6: in theory great properties, in practice warps too much for almost any part except the smallest ones (and it's hard to get tolerances down for the tiny parts too). can be dyed in theory. 3/10
- ABS: gives off cancer fumes and fractures easily but otherwise a great high temperature filament with very little stringiness and warpage. somewhat worse interlayer adhesion than PETG but more than acceptable overall. 9/10
- ASA: in theory tougher ABS, in practice more of a pain in the ass to print ABS. probably just use PCTG instead if you can. 8/10
@whitequark My understanding is, PLA has the least bad fumes (during and after printing), so I tend to prefer it. I don't know yet where materials other than PLA, ABS stand in this. Do you know?
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i didn't expect to like ABS as much as i do; in fact i only found out what it's like because i accidentally ordered a roll of ABS instead of a roll of ASA. but it just... works really well somehow? i haven't even really dialed it in properly and the ABS parts are almost as good mechanically as the PETG ones
@whitequark ABS shrinks a bit, so if you have something that must be dimensionally stable to test as a prototype, then PLA can be the better choice.
Sometimes slightly enlarging the design for ABS works, but sometimes it does not.
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@whitequark ABS shrinks a bit, so if you have something that must be dimensionally stable to test as a prototype, then PLA can be the better choice.
Sometimes slightly enlarging the design for ABS works, but sometimes it does not.
@abraxas3d oh, I will remember this
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@whitequark My understanding is, PLA has the least bad fumes (during and after printing), so I tend to prefer it. I don't know yet where materials other than PLA, ABS stand in this. Do you know?
@autkin I believe only ABS and ASA from this list have objectionable fumes (styrene, specifically, which is a known human carcinogen). the rest are fine
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3D printing filaments i have some first- or second-hand experience with, in no particular order:
- PLA: naaah. no real benefits to it except "it prints fast" i guess. 1/10
- PP: incredibly finicky (requires the use of special materials for bed adhesion!) but very chemically inert. 5/10
- PETG: stringy, yes, but very strong, excellent interlayer and bed adhesion, great transparency, all in all fantastic filament, i default to it. 10/10
- PCTG: an upgrade from PETG in terms of mechanical toughness but the hotend temperature seems to be stuck between "not enough interlayer adhesion" and "too much warpage". bed adhesion is either "too much" or "too little" but PEO plus bed glue seems to do the trick. 8/10
- PA 6/6: in theory great properties, in practice warps too much for almost any part except the smallest ones (and it's hard to get tolerances down for the tiny parts too). can be dyed in theory. 3/10
- ABS: gives off cancer fumes and fractures easily but otherwise a great high temperature filament with very little stringiness and warpage. somewhat worse interlayer adhesion than PETG but more than acceptable overall. 9/10
- ASA: in theory tougher ABS, in practice more of a pain in the ass to print ABS. probably just use PCTG instead if you can. 8/10
@whitequark I really need to spend more time tuning my PETG print settings (Getting the temp/flow rate correct on a delta printer is tricky). Do you have a favourite brand for filaments?
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@whitequark I really need to spend more time tuning my PETG print settings (Getting the temp/flow rate correct on a delta printer is tricky). Do you have a favourite brand for filaments?
@Foritus I've tried IMEAI PETG and eSUN PETG, which have slightly different material properties. eSUN seems alright. calibrating the pressure advance settings for PETG is crucial as it's fairly viscous at the temps you generally want to print it
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3D printing filaments i have some first- or second-hand experience with, in no particular order:
- PLA: naaah. no real benefits to it except "it prints fast" i guess. 1/10
- PP: incredibly finicky (requires the use of special materials for bed adhesion!) but very chemically inert. 5/10
- PETG: stringy, yes, but very strong, excellent interlayer and bed adhesion, great transparency, all in all fantastic filament, i default to it. 10/10
- PCTG: an upgrade from PETG in terms of mechanical toughness but the hotend temperature seems to be stuck between "not enough interlayer adhesion" and "too much warpage". bed adhesion is either "too much" or "too little" but PEO plus bed glue seems to do the trick. 8/10
- PA 6/6: in theory great properties, in practice warps too much for almost any part except the smallest ones (and it's hard to get tolerances down for the tiny parts too). can be dyed in theory. 3/10
- ABS: gives off cancer fumes and fractures easily but otherwise a great high temperature filament with very little stringiness and warpage. somewhat worse interlayer adhesion than PETG but more than acceptable overall. 9/10
- ASA: in theory tougher ABS, in practice more of a pain in the ass to print ABS. probably just use PCTG instead if you can. 8/10
@whitequark
PLA has low shrinkage and less cooling difficulty. so it is more suitable for aesthetic prints. furthermore, it often sold as 'bi-color' or 'silk' variant. -
3D printing filaments i have some first- or second-hand experience with, in no particular order:
- PLA: naaah. no real benefits to it except "it prints fast" i guess. 1/10
- PP: incredibly finicky (requires the use of special materials for bed adhesion!) but very chemically inert. 5/10
- PETG: stringy, yes, but very strong, excellent interlayer and bed adhesion, great transparency, all in all fantastic filament, i default to it. 10/10
- PCTG: an upgrade from PETG in terms of mechanical toughness but the hotend temperature seems to be stuck between "not enough interlayer adhesion" and "too much warpage". bed adhesion is either "too much" or "too little" but PEO plus bed glue seems to do the trick. 8/10
- PA 6/6: in theory great properties, in practice warps too much for almost any part except the smallest ones (and it's hard to get tolerances down for the tiny parts too). can be dyed in theory. 3/10
- ABS: gives off cancer fumes and fractures easily but otherwise a great high temperature filament with very little stringiness and warpage. somewhat worse interlayer adhesion than PETG but more than acceptable overall. 9/10
- ASA: in theory tougher ABS, in practice more of a pain in the ass to print ABS. probably just use PCTG instead if you can. 8/10
@whitequark PLA smells nice 10/10
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3D printing filaments i have some first- or second-hand experience with, in no particular order:
- PLA: naaah. no real benefits to it except "it prints fast" i guess. 1/10
- PP: incredibly finicky (requires the use of special materials for bed adhesion!) but very chemically inert. 5/10
- PETG: stringy, yes, but very strong, excellent interlayer and bed adhesion, great transparency, all in all fantastic filament, i default to it. 10/10
- PCTG: an upgrade from PETG in terms of mechanical toughness but the hotend temperature seems to be stuck between "not enough interlayer adhesion" and "too much warpage". bed adhesion is either "too much" or "too little" but PEO plus bed glue seems to do the trick. 8/10
- PA 6/6: in theory great properties, in practice warps too much for almost any part except the smallest ones (and it's hard to get tolerances down for the tiny parts too). can be dyed in theory. 3/10
- ABS: gives off cancer fumes and fractures easily but otherwise a great high temperature filament with very little stringiness and warpage. somewhat worse interlayer adhesion than PETG but more than acceptable overall. 9/10
- ASA: in theory tougher ABS, in practice more of a pain in the ass to print ABS. probably just use PCTG instead if you can. 8/10
@whitequark i like that PLA is biodegradable
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haven't tried CF-PA66 yet, i heard that one is pretty good for certain types of parts
@whitequark CF filaments are kind of a nightmare because the fibres can shed and get stuck in your body if you don't seal the print, but also they're apparently not that good, here's a guy that tested a bunch of the properties and has some hypotheses about why this happens youtu.be/w7JperqVfXI
Idk if this applies to the specific one you're talking about -
@whitequark CF filaments are kind of a nightmare because the fibres can shed and get stuck in your body if you don't seal the print, but also they're apparently not that good, here's a guy that tested a bunch of the properties and has some hypotheses about why this happens youtu.be/w7JperqVfXI
Idk if this applies to the specific one you're talking about@lunareclipse I did watch that series and he says it specifically applies to CF-PLA, not CF-PA66
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3D printing filaments i have some first- or second-hand experience with, in no particular order:
- PLA: naaah. no real benefits to it except "it prints fast" i guess. 1/10
- PP: incredibly finicky (requires the use of special materials for bed adhesion!) but very chemically inert. 5/10
- PETG: stringy, yes, but very strong, excellent interlayer and bed adhesion, great transparency, all in all fantastic filament, i default to it. 10/10
- PCTG: an upgrade from PETG in terms of mechanical toughness but the hotend temperature seems to be stuck between "not enough interlayer adhesion" and "too much warpage". bed adhesion is either "too much" or "too little" but PEO plus bed glue seems to do the trick. 8/10
- PA 6/6: in theory great properties, in practice warps too much for almost any part except the smallest ones (and it's hard to get tolerances down for the tiny parts too). can be dyed in theory. 3/10
- ABS: gives off cancer fumes and fractures easily but otherwise a great high temperature filament with very little stringiness and warpage. somewhat worse interlayer adhesion than PETG but more than acceptable overall. 9/10
- ASA: in theory tougher ABS, in practice more of a pain in the ass to print ABS. probably just use PCTG instead if you can. 8/10
@whitequark Interesting you don't like PLA at all, I default to it for almost everything. Fast, very strong layer adhesion, great detail. For me PETG is stringy and loses small details. I only use it when I'm printing parts that need to be softer than PLA. For example my SteamDeck Stand (PLA is very hard and can leave marks on the Deck ABS shell, not a problem with PETG).
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@whitequark Interesting you don't like PLA at all, I default to it for almost everything. Fast, very strong layer adhesion, great detail. For me PETG is stringy and loses small details. I only use it when I'm printing parts that need to be softer than PLA. For example my SteamDeck Stand (PLA is very hard and can leave marks on the Deck ABS shell, not a problem with PETG).
@whitequark I like ABS, but my printer is not enclosed and that makes tricky doing long prints. Being able to smooth parts with acetone is also cool! The ABS fumes are also a problem though.
Other materials I have used:
* TPU: I love it, it's awesome being able to print flexible parts!
* Nylon: was not able to make a single decent print with this...
* CopperFill PLA: awesome if you want to oxidize the prints!
* SilkPLA: looks nice, but layer adhesion was poor, also more stringy than PLA. -
3D printing filaments i have some first- or second-hand experience with, in no particular order:
- PLA: naaah. no real benefits to it except "it prints fast" i guess. 1/10
- PP: incredibly finicky (requires the use of special materials for bed adhesion!) but very chemically inert. 5/10
- PETG: stringy, yes, but very strong, excellent interlayer and bed adhesion, great transparency, all in all fantastic filament, i default to it. 10/10
- PCTG: an upgrade from PETG in terms of mechanical toughness but the hotend temperature seems to be stuck between "not enough interlayer adhesion" and "too much warpage". bed adhesion is either "too much" or "too little" but PEO plus bed glue seems to do the trick. 8/10
- PA 6/6: in theory great properties, in practice warps too much for almost any part except the smallest ones (and it's hard to get tolerances down for the tiny parts too). can be dyed in theory. 3/10
- ABS: gives off cancer fumes and fractures easily but otherwise a great high temperature filament with very little stringiness and warpage. somewhat worse interlayer adhesion than PETG but more than acceptable overall. 9/10
- ASA: in theory tougher ABS, in practice more of a pain in the ass to print ABS. probably just use PCTG instead if you can. 8/10
@whitequark I've only ever used PLA, PETG, and nylon for prints. PETG is my favorite of those for my own projects. At work I use PLA for prototyping and throwaway parts (e.g. we needed some caps for some aerosol cans that were missing their original caps and we wanted to protect them in shipping, five minutes to design in FreeCAD and 20 minutes to print each).
I use nylon for a floating bearing I designed to replace the obsolete mass produced bearing used in equipment we sell, it has to be nylon so it can slip and spin in the hinge without breaking down, while still structurally sound enough to not collapse and break under lateral pressure.
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@autkin I believe only ABS and ASA from this list have objectionable fumes (styrene, specifically, which is a known human carcinogen). the rest are fine
@whitequark @autkin from some cursory research it seems like all of them have some degree of unhealthy fumes, with ABS being the worst but PLA not being perfect either, and that's not considering the particulates
This has a general analysis of the dangers and specifically fig.5 has a chart of VOCs www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132325008030 -
@lunareclipse I did watch that series and he says it specifically applies to CF-PLA, not CF-PA66
@whitequark ah okay that makes sense
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3D printing filaments i have some first- or second-hand experience with, in no particular order:
- PLA: naaah. no real benefits to it except "it prints fast" i guess. 1/10
- PP: incredibly finicky (requires the use of special materials for bed adhesion!) but very chemically inert. 5/10
- PETG: stringy, yes, but very strong, excellent interlayer and bed adhesion, great transparency, all in all fantastic filament, i default to it. 10/10
- PCTG: an upgrade from PETG in terms of mechanical toughness but the hotend temperature seems to be stuck between "not enough interlayer adhesion" and "too much warpage". bed adhesion is either "too much" or "too little" but PEO plus bed glue seems to do the trick. 8/10
- PA 6/6: in theory great properties, in practice warps too much for almost any part except the smallest ones (and it's hard to get tolerances down for the tiny parts too). can be dyed in theory. 3/10
- ABS: gives off cancer fumes and fractures easily but otherwise a great high temperature filament with very little stringiness and warpage. somewhat worse interlayer adhesion than PETG but more than acceptable overall. 9/10
- ASA: in theory tougher ABS, in practice more of a pain in the ass to print ABS. probably just use PCTG instead if you can. 8/10
@whitequark imma 2D print this and hang this over my 3D printer
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@whitequark CF filaments are kind of a nightmare because the fibres can shed and get stuck in your body if you don't seal the print, but also they're apparently not that good, here's a guy that tested a bunch of the properties and has some hypotheses about why this happens youtu.be/w7JperqVfXI
Idk if this applies to the specific one you're talking about@lunareclipse @whitequark oof but in a thanks but nope-noppedy-never-nu-uh-no-thanks way
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@whitequark ABS shrinks a bit, so if you have something that must be dimensionally stable to test as a prototype, then PLA can be the better choice.
Sometimes slightly enlarging the design for ABS works, but sometimes it does not.
@abraxas3d @whitequark keep in mind that it is only relevant for x/y. I recommend using correction coefficients in the slicer instead of model edits. Printing a long stick and calculating it once is enough in my experience
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@whitequark i like that PLA is biodegradable
@ratsnakegames @whitequark That part of PLA is kind of a scam as well, sure, they can theoretically break it down within industrial composters, but if you bury it in the ground or yank it into the sea, it will break apart into microplastics and stay around for a really long time
