Materials

The right material for the right application.

We print with industrially proven filaments and advise on the right material for your part. Below is an overview with a simple 1–5 grading.

PLA

+13

Stiff and dimensionally stable. Best surface finish at the lowest cost, but no heat resistance.

Strength (ISO 178)76 MPa

Stiffness (ISO 178)2,750 MPa

Toughness (ISO 179)26.6 kJ/m²

Heat resistance (ISO 75)57 °C

Finish

Cost (1 = lowest)

Form prototypesDisplay modelsTemplates

PETG

Our workhorse. Tough, chemical- and moisture-resistant — a solid all-round functional part.

Strength (ISO 178)64 MPa

Stiffness (ISO 178)2,050 MPa

Toughness (ISO 179)31.5 kJ/m²

Heat resistance (ISO 75)69 °C

Finish

Cost (1 = lowest)

Functional partsHousings and bracketsContainers

TPU 95A (flexible)

Rubber-like and abrasion-resistant. Flexes and rebounds without cracking.

Strength (ISO 178)Flexible

Stiffness (ISO 178)–

Toughness (ISO 179)123.2 kJ/m²

Heat resistance (ISO 75)–

Finish

Cost (1 = lowest)

Seals and gasketsDampingProtective cases

ABS

Heat-resistant industry classic. Can be glued, sanded and vapour-smoothed with acetone.

Strength (ISO 178)62 MPa

Stiffness (ISO 178)1,880 MPa

Toughness (ISO 179)39.3 kJ/m²

Heat resistance (ISO 75)87 °C

Finish

Cost (1 = lowest)

Interior partsElectronics enclosuresTooling

PAHT-CF (nylon, carbon fibre)

High-temperature carbon-fibre nylon. Strong and wear-resistant for parts in service.

Strength (ISO 178)125 MPa

Stiffness (ISO 178)4,230 MPa

Toughness (ISO 179)57.5 kJ/m²

Heat resistance (ISO 75)194 °C

Finish

Cost (1 = lowest)

Gears and bushingsIn-service spare partsTooling and fixtures

PETG-CF (carbon fibre)

Carbon-fibre reinforced PETG — stiffer, less warping and a matte industrial finish.

Strength (ISO 178)70 MPa

Stiffness (ISO 178)2,910 MPa

Toughness (ISO 179)41.2 kJ/m²

Heat resistance (ISO 75)74 °C

Finish

Cost (1 = lowest)

FixturesMachine guardsLoad-bearing brackets

PPA-CF (carbon fibre)

High-performance carbon-fibre polyphthalamide. Extremely stiff, heat-resistant and less moisture-sensitive than nylon.

Strength (ISO 178)208 MPa

Stiffness (ISO 178)9,860 MPa

Toughness (ISO 179)41.7 kJ/m²

Heat resistance (ISO 75)227 °C

Finish

Cost (1 = lowest)

Engine-bay partsStructural bracketsMetal replacement

PPS-CF (carbon fibre)

Chemical- and heat-resistant (200 °C+) with inherent flame retardancy. For demanding industrial environments.

Strength (ISO 178)142 MPa

Stiffness (ISO 178)7,160 MPa

Toughness (ISO 179)27.8 kJ/m²

Heat resistance (ISO 75)264 °C

Finish

Cost (1 = lowest)

Pump and flow partsChemical-exposed partsElectrical insulators

ASA

ABS with UV and weather resistance. First choice for parts that live outdoors.

Strength (ISO 178)65 MPa

Stiffness (ISO 178)1,920 MPa

Toughness (ISO 179)41 kJ/m²

Heat resistance (ISO 75)100 °C

Finish

Cost (1 = lowest)

Outdoor mountsAutomotive partsSignage

Finish: 5 is best. Cost: 1 is lowest.

Strength = flexural strength and Stiffness = flexural modulus (ISO 178), Toughness = Charpy impact strength (ISO 179), Heat resistance = HDT at 0.45 MPa (ISO 75). Typical XY values from the filament manufacturer's technical data sheets, measured on printed test specimens. Real-world values depend on geometry, orientation and print settings.

The FDM process

FDM builds the model layer by layer as melted plastic filament is extruded through a nozzle. We choose layer height, infill and material based on the part's requirements for strength, surface quality and cost.