Choose 3D printing materials based on mechanical, thermal, and chemical requirements. Covers PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, Nylon, and resin variants with property comparisons. Use when selecting material for parts with specific mechanical or thermal requirements, choosing for outdoor or chemical exposure, evaluating food-safe or biocompatible applications, balancing printability vs. performance, or troubleshooting material-related print failures.
Choose appropriate 3D printing materials by matching material properties to functional requirements. This skill covers FDM filaments (PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, Nylon) and SLA resins (standard, tough, flexible, castable) with detailed property comparisons for mechanical strength, temperature resistance, chemical resistance, flexibility, and post-processing options.
Determine the dominant requirement that drives material selection:
Mechanical Performance:
Environmental Durability:
Special Applications:
Printability/Cost:
Expected: Primary requirement identified (e.g., "outdoor UV resistance" or "high impact strength").
On failure: If multiple requirements are equally critical, use decision matrix to score materials across requirements (see step 6).
Use requirement to filter material candidates:
Filter 1: Process Type
Filter 2: Temperature Range
Operating Temperature → Minimum Material Glass Transition (Tg):
< 45°C: PLA, PLA+, Standard Resin, Tough Resin
< 60°C: PETG, Flexible Resin
< 80°C: ABS, ASA, CPE
< 100°C: Nylon, Polycarbonate, High-Temp Resin
> 100°C: PEEK, PEI (Ultem) - specialty printers only
Filter 3: Mechanical Requirements
High tensile strength: Nylon > ABS/ASA > PETG > PLA > TPU
High impact resistance: Nylon > PETG > ABS > ASA > PLA
Flexibility: TPU > Flexible Resin > PLA (brittle)
Fatigue resistance: Nylon > PETG > ABS > PLA
Filter 4: Environmental
UV resistance: ASA > PETG > ABS > PLA (poor)
Chemical resistance: Nylon > PETG > ABS/ASA > PLA
Outdoor durability: ASA > Nylon > PETG > PLA (degrades)
Moisture resistance: ABS/ASA > PETG > PLA > Nylon (hygroscopic)
Expected: 2-5 candidate materials remain after filtering.
On failure: If no materials pass all filters, relax least-critical requirement or consider post-processing (e.g., UV coating for PLA).
Consult material property table for detailed comparison:
| Material | Print Temp | Bed Temp | Tensile Strength | Elongation | Tg/HDT | UV Resist | Ease | Hygroscopic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA | 190-220°C | 50-60°C | 50-70 MPa | 5-7% | 55-60°C | Poor | Easy | Low |
| PLA+ | 200-230°C | 50-60°C | 60-75 MPa | 10-15% | 60-65°C | Poor | Easy | Low |
| PETG | 220-250°C | 70-85°C | 50-60 MPa | 15-20% | 75-80°C | Good | Medium | Medium |
| ABS | 230-260°C | 95-110°C | 40-50 MPa | 20-40% | 95-105°C | Fair | Hard | Low |
| ASA | 240-260°C | 95-110°C | 45-55 MPa | 15-30% | 95-105°C | Excellent | Hard | Low |
| TPU | 210-230°C | 40-60°C | 30-50 MPa | 400-600% | 60-80°C | Good | Medium | Low |
| Nylon | 240-270°C | 70-90°C | 70-80 MPa | 50-150% | 75-90°C | Excellent | Hard | Very High |
Notes:
| Resin Type | Cure Time | Tensile Strength | Elongation | HDT | Hardness | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 2-4s | 45-55 MPa | 6-8% | 60-70°C | 82-85 Shore D | Miniatures, prototypes |
| Tough | 4-6s | 55-65 MPa | 15-25% | 70-80°C | 80-85 Shore D | Functional parts, snaps |
| Flexible | 6-8s | 5-10 MPa | 80-120% | 50-60°C | 60-70 Shore A | Gaskets, grips |
| High-Temp | 8-12s | 60-70 MPa | 6-10% | 120-150°C | 85-88 Shore D | Heat-resistant parts |
| Castable | 3-5s | 35-45 MPa | 8-12% | 60°C | 80 Shore D | Jewelry (lost-wax) |
Expected: Material properties compared, 1-3 top candidates identified based on requirements.
On failure: If properties unclear, consult manufacturer technical datasheets via WebFetch tool.
Assess printing difficulty vs. performance for candidates:
Printability factors:
Easy (PLA, PLA+):
Medium (PETG, TPU):
Hard (ABS, ASA, Nylon):
Cost considerations:
Material cost per kg (typical):
PLA: $15-25
PETG: $20-30
ABS: $18-28
ASA: $25-35
TPU: $30-45
Nylon: $35-55
Standard Resin: $30-50/L
Specialty Resin: $60-150/L
Expected: Printability assessed relative to printer capabilities and user experience. Decision balances performance needs vs. practical constraints.
On failure: If material too difficult for current setup, choose easier alternative and compensate with design changes (thicker walls, fillets, etc.).
Verify material compatibility with special use cases:
Food Safety:
Biocompatibility (medical/dental):
Electrical Properties:
Transparency:
UV Resistance:
Expected: Special requirements verified against material capabilities.
On failure: If material doesn't meet special requirement, apply post-processing (e.g., UV-resistant coating on PLA) or choose different material.
Score candidates across weighted criteria:
Example for outdoor functional part:
| Criterion | Weight | PLA | PETG | ABS | ASA | Nylon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV Resistance | 30% | 1 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 9 |
| Strength | 25% | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 9 |
| Printability | 20% | 10 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Temperature | 15% | 2 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| Cost | 10% | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 4 |
| Weighted Total | 5.35 | 6.80 | 5.90 | 7.25 | 7.45 |
Scoring: 1 (poor) to 10 (excellent)
Decision: Nylon scores highest (7.45) but ASA (7.25) nearly tied with better printability. Select ASA if printer has enclosure, or PETG (6.80) if printability important.
Expected: Final material selected with documented rationale based on weighted priorities.
On failure: If decision unclear, default to PETG for FDM or Tough Resin for SLA (best all-around compromises).
Record material-specific print settings for future use:
FDM settings template: