3D Printer Filament Comparison Guide

PLA (Polylactic Acid) is one of the two most commonly used desktop 3D printing filaments (with the other being ABS filament). It is the "default" recommended material for many desktop 3D printers, and with good reason - PLA is useful in a broad range of printing applications, has the virtue of being both odorless and low-warp, and does not require a heated bed. PLA filament is also one of the more eco-friendly 3D printer materials available; it is made from annually renewable resources (corn-starch) and requires less energy to process compared to traditional (petroleum-based) plastics. Outside of 3D printing, PLA plastic is often used in food containers, such as candy wrappers, and biodegradable medical implants, such as sutures. PLA filament for 3D Printing is available in a wide range of colors in both 1.75mm and 3mm. For tips and tricks on 3D printing PLA, check out How To Succeed When Printing In PLA.

PLA 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PLA filament is a stiff but brittle 3D printing material.

• Best used for cosmetic prints, prototypes, desk toys, low-stress applications.

• Best 3D printer material for beginners due to ease of printing and minimal warp.

PRO Series PLA is a formulation of PLA filament intended for producing professional, high quality, 3D printed parts. It features a visually distinct finish and a more vibrant, opaque color than MH Build PLA filament. PRO Series PLA is made in the USA and is produced to more precise specifications and has a tolerance of ± 0.05mm. It is available in 1.75mm and 3mm.For tips and tricks on 3D printing PRO Series PLA, check out How To Succeed When Printing In PLA.

PRO Series PLA 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PRO Series PLA filament is a hard but brittle material with a wide selection of rich colors.

• Best used for cosmetic prints, prototypes, desk toys, or low-stress applications.

• Best beginner material due to low to no shrinkage and warp.

Tough PLA takes the ease of use of regular PLA and steps it up. Where normal PLA will warp and soften from very little heat, Tough PLA has heat resistance up to 60°C. Some easily machinable materials like ABS come with their own hurdles, like overhangs, warping, and inter-layer adhesion, but this Tough PLA has been modified to be more machinable than traditional PLA and makes it more reliable than ABS for larger prints. Since it is PLA, it is still compatible with the usual support materials, giving you full geometric freedom when designing parts. Tough PLA is available only in 3mm or 1.75mm. For tips and tricks on 3D printing Tough PLA check out the printing techniques used for PLA: How To Succeed When Printing In PLA.

Tough PLA 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• Impact strength is much closer to ABS, making it better suited for practical applications.

• Easy-to-print and reliable makes it ideal for printing models with large volumes.

• When paired with PVA, complex curves, internal details, and harsh overhangs 3D print beautifully.

Glow-in-the-dark filament is a great product to decorate children's bedrooms, from glowing light switches to a starry sky on the ceiling. Your prints will shine brightest immediately after turning out the lights, but dim quickly to a soft glow in the night. Use your normal print settings for PLA or ABS (depending on which is the base filament), but add more perimeters to your prints. The more perimeters, the more glow. Be aware, we have seen reports that Glow-in-the-dark filament is abrasive and has worn out nozzles; you may want to install a hardened steel nozzle to prevent wear out. Glow-in-the-dark filament is available with a PLA filament base and ABS filament base in both 1.75mm and 3mm diameter sizes. Glow in the Dark NinjaFlex (TPU) is available in both 1.75mm and 3mm as well.

Glow-in-the-dark 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• Glow-in-the-dark filament has properties comparable to base filament with added pigments to glow in the dark.

• Commonly used for light switch covers, ceiling stars, and novelty decorations.

• Available in PLA, ABS, and TPU based filament.

NylonG 3D printing filament follows in the footsteps of NylonX with its rigidity and strength. While chopped carbon fiber strands make NylonX awesome, they firmly cement NylonX as a black colored filament. NylonG uses chopped glass fibers instead, allowing it to be available in a variety of colors, like red, white, and blue! The chopped glass fibers give benefits similar to carbon fiber; the parts are stiffer and less prone to warping than regular nylon, but the glass fibers make the 3D printed part extremely impact resistant. NylonG is 33% more resistant to impact than NylonX! With a matte finish, NylonG eliminates post-3D print processing - finished prints need no sanding to look production ready. NylonG is available in both 1.75mm and 3mm. For tips and tricks on 3D printing NylonG check out the printing techniques used for NylonX:A Closer Look at 3D Printing with NylonX.

NylonG 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• NylonG 3D printing filament is strong like glass fiber and durable like nylon.

• Best used for tough functional parts, wear parts, and production-ready prints.

• Strong parts not under constant load, but face sudden impact.

PRO Series Nylon filament is a formulation of Nylon plastic intended to help your 3D prints stand out with a beautiful finish in a variety of vibrant colors. It is made in the USA to the tightest tolerances on the market and best used when producing high quality, precision 3D prints. Flexible when thin, but with very high inter-layer adhesion, nylon lends itself well to things like living hinges and other functional parts. Nylon filament is extremely sensitive to moisture, so taking drying measures during storage and immediately prior to printing (using desiccant, vacuum, or elevated temperature) is highly recommended for best results.PRO Nylon also requires a heated bed for proper printing. PRO Series Nylon filament is available in both 1.75mm and 3mm. For tips and tricks on 3D printing Nylon, check out How To Succeed When Printing With Nylon.

PRO Series Nylon 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PRO Series Nylon filament is strong yet flexible making it tough to break and shatter resistant.

• Commonly used for living hinges, functionally strong parts.

• Must be dried before printing for strength and a glossy finish, and is available in a variety of colors.

PRO Series PETG filament, is an industrial strength filament with several great features. Like all our PRO Series filament, it is manufactured in the USA to the tightest tolerances for precision 3D printing. Figuratively speaking, it combines the ease of use of PLA filament with the strength and durability of ABS filament. First, its strength is much higher than PLA and it is FDA approved for food containers and tools used for food consumption. Unlike ABS filament, it barely warps, and produces no odors or fumes when printed. PET filament is not biodegradable, but it is 100% reclaimable. It's known for its clarity and is also very good at bridging. PET 3D printing filament is available in 1.75mm and 3mm. For tips and tricks on 3D printing PETG, check out How To Succeed When Printing With PETG.

PRO Series PETG 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PET filament is a durable and flexible 3D printing material with a glossy finish and is impact and heat resistant.

• Best used for mechanical parts and snap fit enclosures.

• Sticks incredibly well to blue painters tape.

PolyPropylene filament (PP) has a number of uses as a 3D printing material. Its best use is for packaging, food-safe containers, and living hinges. Polypropylene material has a much better ability to elongate without breaking when compared to PLA filament. It also resists impact better than PLA as well. Where PLA plastic tends to shatters and snap while Polypropylene plastic bends and squeezes into place. However, Polypropylene can be difficult to stick well to most print surfaces, including glass, kapton tape, PEI, and some packaging tapes. Most packaging tape is made with Polypropylene and it will stick to that, otherwise it won't work. With the right type of packaging tape, a bed temperature of 120°C and an extrusion temperature of 240°C produces great prints. PolyPropylene filament is available in a clear color in 3mm

PolyPropylene 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PolyProylene filament is flexible and chemically inert 3D printing material.

• Commonly used for living hinges, medical devices, and chemistry equipment.

• Very hygroscopic, making drying before printing an essential step.

PRO Series Flex is a TPE filament, which is a flexible 3D printing material that feels and acts much like flexible rubber. As with all PRO Series filaments, Flex is made in the USA to the tightest tolerances for precision 3D printing. PRO Series Flex can be used to make parts that can bend or must flex to fit their environment - stoppers, belts, springs, phone cases and more. This extremely flexible 3D printer material will allow you to create 3D prints that will have the properties of a soft rubber, making it even more flexible and elastic than our Soft PLA filament. Due to its flexibility, slower print speeds must be used to keep the filament from binding in the extruder. PRO Series Flex filament is available in 1.75mm and 3mm.

PRO Series Flex 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PRO Series Flex filament creates rubbery, elastic, and impact resistant parts.

• Best used for stoppers, belts, caps, phone cases, bumpers and more.

• The less infill you use, the more flexible your finished print will be.

PCTPE (Plasticized Copolyamide TPE) is another great filament by Taulman. It is a combination of Nylon and TPE. When printed, it's flexible like normal TPE, but the added Nylon means this filament will work even in a bowden setup. It has very low shrinkage and can be dyed with any acid based color thanks to the wonderful properties of nylon. Print settings are closest to ABS filament, with a print temp of 235°C and most other settings the same. PCTPE 3D printing filament is available in 1.75mm and 3mm.

PCTPE 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PCTPE filament is flexible and dyeable, but added nylon makes it really easy to print.

• Some common prints with PCTPE include cosplay armor, phone enclosures, and industrial parts.

• Use clothing dye designed for synthetic fabrics to dye your prints any color.

TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) is an elastic, oil/grease resistant, and abrasion-resistant material with a shore hardness of 95A. TPU Plastic has several applicable uses including automotive instrument panels, caster wheels, power tools, sporting goods, medical devices, drive belts, footwear, inflatable rafts, and a variety of extruded film, sheet and profile applications. It is also commonly used in mobile phone cases. TPU is available in both 1.75mm and 3mm.

TPU 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• TPU filament creates rubbery, elastic, and impact resistant parts.

• Best used for stoppers, belts, caps, phone cases, bumpers and more.

• The less infill you use, the more flexible your finished print will be.

LAYBRICK is a 3D printing material that gives parts the look and feel of grey stone while retaining the resiliency of plastic, making it ideal for landscape and architectural designs. Anything made with LAYBRICK can be painted and sanded. In the lower range of 165°C to 190°C, the print will come out mostly smooth, whereas with higher temperatures it will begin to have a more pitted, sandstone-like texture. LAYBRICK is available in both 1.75mm and 3mm unspooled rolls.

LAYBRICK 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• LAYBRICK filament is a stiff but brittle 3d printing material with a stone or sandstone texture.

• Best used for faux-stone, model train scenery, architectural models.

• You can get different textures on your prints depending on your extruder temperature.

Conductive Filament is a modified PLA, designed for low voltage and low current circuitry. This conductive PLA filament will print objects that are more flexible than normal PLA but have less layer adhesion. In addition, this filament works with all PLA compatible 3D printers. Conductive PLA filament is available in 1.75mm and 3mm.

Conductive 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• Conductive filament is slightly flexible and conductive to low power circuitry.

• Best used for functional prototypes, integrated circuitry, complex electronic wiring.

• Best printed in a dual extrusion printer, as it sticks really well to regular PLA.

Proto Pasta Carbon Fiber Reinforced PLA filament provides excellent structural strength and layer adhesion with very low warpage. Due to the carbon fiber contained in the filament, it has increased rigidity, therefore increased structural support is built right in. The carbon fiber in the filament is specifically designed to be small enough to fit through the nozzles, but long enough to provide the extra rigidity that makes this reinforced PLA necessary for any hobbyist that needs rugged prints. Carbon Fiber filament is perfect for printing items that should not bend, such as: frames, supports, propellers, and tools. Drone builders and RC Hobbyists love this filament, and it is made in the USA. Due to its high abrasion, before printing you will need to install a hardened steel nozzle on your printer. Carbon Fiber Reinforced PLA is available in both 1.75mm and 3mm.

Carbon Fiber Reinforced PLA 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• Carbon Fiber Reinforced PLA filament is a strong, ductile material with wear resistance and heat tolerance

• Best used for drone bodies, propellers, and RC car frames.

• PLA provides ease of printing, carbon fiber provides rigidity.

These steel PLA filaments are tougher to print than MH Build PLA , but because of the steel fibers blended with the plastic, prints are heavier and thus, feel more authentic. Finished steel 3D prints can be sanded and polished to create beautiful and unique pieces. Unpolished, the Stainless Steel filament looks like cast metal fresh from a mold. With just a little finishing and polishing, however, you can easily create any look like you desire. 3D Printing Steel is perfect for printing jewelry, props, costumes, figurines, and robots. These steel filaments are great not only for hobbyists looking to make faux metal prints, but serious designers as well. Due to its high abrasion, before printing you will need to install a hardened steel nozzle on your printer. These filaments are available in both 1.75mm and 3mm.

3D Printing Filament Properties:

• These filamentThese filaments print like PLA but slower, with finished prints being hard and heavy.

• Best used for cosmetic prints of busts, jewelry, or sculptures.

• Best results can be achieve by rock tumbling, polishing, or wet sanding to achieve a super smooth surface finish.

Lay-Felt, Gel-Lay, and Lay-Fomm 40 and 60 can all be characterized as highly porous and flexible filaments.These materials are made from a rubber-elastomeric polymer and a PVA-component. This means that part of this filament is water soluble, and once you soak this material in water, the PVA component dissolves and disappears and the rubber polymer remains as your micro-porous object. Lay-Felt is ideal for making filters, 3D membranes, semipermeable membranes, and any flexible yet felt-like object.

PORO-LAY Series 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PORO-LAY filament is flexible and highly porous, qith textures ranging from felt, jelly, or sponge.

• Potential use in filters, permeable membranes, jellyfish models, stamps, or intricate sponges depending on the material.

• Soak in water to bring out the full potential of these unique and experimental filaments.

Polycarbonate (PC) Polycarbonate is strong and very resistant to impact - this material is used when making bullet-proof glass. Not only is polycarbonate an extremely tough and durable thermoplastic material it is also very resistant to temperature. This material is malleable when cool and can bend without cracking. Polycarbonate is available in 1.75mm and 3mm.

PC 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PC filament extremely high temperature resistant and impact resistant.

• Potential uses in printed RC parts or drone parts.

• An all-metal hotend for this high-temp material is required.

MoldLay is a material specifically engineered for moldmaking. Use MoldLay filament to 3D print objects that you want to make a mold of OR investment cast. MoldLay will easily melt out of negative impressions with very little residue. It is structurally sound with zero warping so you will get a mold of exactly what you print. MoldLay filament is available in 1.75mm and 3mm.

MoldLay 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• MoldLay filament is a 3D printing material with zero warp and easy printing properties.

• Best used for objects you want to mold that are too intricate to sculpt from wax.

• Designed for silicone molding or completely vaporizing for investment casting.

PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol) filament prints translucent with a slightly yellow tint and is primarily used as a 3D printing support material because it is water-soluble, meaning that it will dissolve when exposed to water (and so MUST be kept dry prior to use). PVA is most often used with 3D printers capable of dual extrusion: one extruder printing a primary material (such as ABS or PLA) and the other printing this dissolvable filament to provide support for overhanging features. PVA 3D printer filament is available in 1.75mm and 3mm.

PVA 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PVA filament is a stiff, water soluble 3d printing support material.

• Best used for models with internal supports or supports for incredibly detailed models with many overhangs.

• Best 3D printer support material for PLA because of similar printing temperatures

LAYaPVA is a 3D printing support material designed to quickly dissolve in water. Because it is water soluble, it must be kept in its resealable bag, otherwise it will begin to absorb water. LAYaPVA is best printed at 230°C to achieve the best print viscosity. Of the LAY-AWAY Support Series, LAYaPVA dissolves the fastest. LAYaPVA is available in both 1.75mm and 3mm unspooled rolls.

LAYaPVA 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• LAYaPVA filament is a stiff, water soluble 3d printing support material.

• Best used for models with internal supports or supports for incredibly detailed models with many overhangs.

• Dissolves quicker in water than normal PVA

HIGH-T-LAY is a 3D printing support material designed to quickly dissolve in water. Because it is water soluble, it must be kept in its resealable bag, otherwise it will begin to absorb water. HIGH-T-LAY is best printed at 240°C to achieve the best print viscosity. Of the LAY-AWAY Support Series, because HIGH-T-LAY prints similarly to HIPS, it is best utilized to avoid that limonene stink when supporting your ABS prints. HIGH-T-LAY is available in both 1.75mm and 3mm unspooled rolls.

HIGH-T-LAY 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• HIGH-T-LAY filament is a stiff, water soluble 3D printing support material.

• Best used for models with internal supports or supports for incredibly detailed models with many overhangs.

• Use this filament instead of HIPS to avoid using limonene to dissolve it and use water instead.