3D printing materials
3D printing materials decide how a print looks and what it can take. Here you will find PLA, PETG, ABS and ASA filament plus flexible TPU on spools 1.75 and 2.85 mm in diameter, resins for printing with ultraviolet light, and colour sample sets. Choose according to your printer technology, nozzle temperature and strength requirements.
3D printing materials
The same model behaves completely differently depending on the material: one part snaps under the first load, another survives a summer in the car. The choice of material therefore counts for more than printer settings — it sets the printing temperature, the need for a heated bed, and whether the print will warp.
PLA is the easiest to print, holds its dimensions and suits figures, prototypes and decorations; it simply cannot take heat and goes soft in a car in summer. PETG adds toughness and moisture resistance, so it fits functional parts. ABS and ASA handle higher temperatures, and ASA also stands up to UV and belongs outdoors; both, however, call for an enclosed chamber and good ventilation. Flexible TPU serves for seals, covers and damping parts.
Resins for printers using ultraviolet light form a group of their own: standard for detailed models, tough with properties close to ABS, flexible, and also types that wash off with water. Working with them calls for nitrile gloves, ventilation, and afterwards washing and post-curing the prints; liquid resin belongs out of reach of children and is disposed of according to the manufacturer, not in household waste.
Before buying, check which filament diameter your printer uses and what temperature range it reaches. Materials filled with carbon or glass fibre are abrasive and ruin a brass nozzle — they need a hardened one. Filament also takes up moisture from the air, which makes prints crack and bubble, so store spools in a sealed box with desiccant, or dry them before printing. Stick to the settings recommended by the material manufacturer.

