Just like a standard paper printer, you will always need to purchase materials and supplies for your 3D printer — whether fused deposition modeling (FDM) or stereolithography (SLA/resin). There are so many different kinds of materials for 3D printing out there.
FDM printers use spools of filament. This filament is generally plastic-based, and gets melted and printed out to create a design. There are some filaments that are more popular than others:
• PLA (polylactic acid): this corn-based filament is the most commonly used in FDM printing, and is recommended when starting out on a 3D printer. PLA is easy to use and doesn’t necessarily require a heated print surface. It provides good detailing on a 3D print as well, is good for parts. PLA is also used for food products, but not be great for eating. It can also be a little brittle, so it’s not recommended for designs that need to be very sturdy. It doesn’t hold up well to sunlight or heat exposure.
• PET, or PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate-Glycol): PET, or PETG can be beneficial for a wide range of designs. PETG is sturdy and durable, and holds up well to heat and chemicals. It is also water resistant. However, PETG can be “stringy” — that is, as a design prints, you might see thin strings of filament on your object. These can be taken off, or melted with a heat gun, but sometimes cause minor issues in printing.
• ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene): ABS is almost as commonly used in 3D printing as PLA, but might not be the best for libraries. While ABS is strong and provides a smooth print, it also omits a strong smell and requires control over the temperature of the 3D printer and its surrounding area. If you do use ABS, especially in an enclosed space, be sure to filter out the fumes.
• Nylon: Nylon filament is incredibly durable and strong, and is great for prototyping and making hinged and functional parts. Nylon prints white, but can absorb color with different dyes. However, nylon also absorbs water, and must be kept completely dry. Nylon-based prints need to be completely dry before they are used. Nylon also requires a high temperature — 250 degrees — and not every nozzle can get that hot.
• PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol): PVA is a support filament that prints clear or with a slightly yellow tint. This filament is mostly used when using more than one extruder for printing (for more information, please see All About FDM 3D Printers). PVA is excellent for 3D designs that need a lot of supports — like a design that is very detailed — as it’s water-soluble and melts away with warm water, leaving little to no trace on the design.
• Composite filaments: There are several filaments on the market that aren’t only made of plastic. Composite filaments are designed to look like stone, wood, metal, clay, and other objects. Oftentimes these filaments contain powdered elements of the object they are meant to look like.
Tips & Tricks for FDM Filament
• It is important to know the melting temperature for any and all filaments and adjust your printer accordingly when loading and unloading filament, and preheating for printing
• Keep all of your filament stored out of light and sun, and ideally in an airtight container. However, the bag or box your filament came in is fine as well. Leaving your filament sitting out exposes it to light and moisture, and can damage and degrade the material.
• When preparing your filament for loading into a printer, always cut it at an angle
• Consider having a spot on your website that easily and briefly explains to patrons what each filament does.
• You might want to price each filament differently, depending on cost.
SLA/Resin printers work differently from FDM, and thus require a different material. Instead of spools of filament, resin cartridges are used. Resin is excellent for molds and prototyping, but also provides excellent detail. Unlike plastic filament that comes in many colors, liquid resin is limited to shades like white, gray, black, and clear (a great option for a transparent print!). However, some SLA printer manufacturers have resin that can have pigment added for more colorful prints. Some manufacturers also make resin that is flexible, allowing you to make designs like stamps, or even parts of binoculars.
There are different types of resin available:
• Standard resin
• Pigmented resin
• Flexible resin
• Silicone resin