3D Printing materials
3D printing is a versatile techniqe that can utilised a broad range of materials.
At our Digital Fabrication Lab, the main materials used are Plastics and Resins.
Plastics:
Polylactic Acid; PLA
Used by:
- Ender 3 Pro (Desktop)
- CR-10 Pro (Desktop)
- Ender S1’s (Desktop)
PLA is the only commercially significant bioplastic; it is wholly derived from renewable resources. Starch provides the raw material, dextrose, which is processed via fermentation to produce the monomer, lactic acid, which is then polymerised into PLA. PLA is a very popular 3D printing material due to its sustainability credentials (it is both recyclable and compostable) and its comparative safety compared to ABS.
PLA is available in a wide range of colours. While the DFL only stocks black and white, we are happy for students to buy in their own if they require a particular colour finish, please speak to a technician before doing this.
PLA should primarily be used as prototyping material, as functional parts may require a more robust material.
Thompson, R. (2017). The Materials Sourcebook for Design Professionals. London: Thames and Hudson. pp. 264-266.
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene; ABS:
Used by:
Commercialised in the 1950’s, ABS brought about a design revolution in consumer products. The material combines high-gloss colourisation with strength and durability, quickly becoming one of the most popular engineering plastics. ABS is a very familiar material, having been used in the manufacture of consumer product enclosures, appliance housing, toys and automotive parts. Perhaps its most iconic usage has been the manufacture of Lego Bricks.
ABS has relatively low embodied energy compared to similar engineering plastics. It is also fully recyclable when properly separated from waste streams. However, it is an oil-derived material, and therefore subject to questions of sustainability.
ABS should be used in the production of one-off functional parts, and only as the final iteration. Please use the PLA machines to prototype.
Thompson, R. (2017). The Materials Sourcebook for Design Professionals. London: Thames and Hudson. pp. 138-143.
Acrylic Styrene Acrylonitrile:
Used By:
ASA is a high-performance engineering plastic, with properties comparable to that of Polycarbonate (PC). It is famed for its exceptional resistance to weathering and UV radiation, making it suitable for functional parts with outdoor applications. Commercially it is used primarily in automotive applications due to its durability and colour options. It can also be used for protective housing of other, less durable components.
Like ABS, ASA is fully recyclable when correctly separated from waste streams. However, it is an oil-derived material and so cannot be consider fully sustainable.
ASA should be used in the production of one-off functional parts, and only as the final iteration. Please use the PLA machines to prototype.
Thompson, R. (2017). The Materials Sourcebook for Design Professionals. London: Thames and Hudson. pp. 136-137.
Resins:
Formlabs Grey V4/Clear V4:
Used By:
- Formlabs 3BL
- Formlabs 3B+
Formlabs resins are a cocktail of photopolymers. While the exact mix is a trade secret, they mainly contain Urethane Dimethacrylate. The resins are photo-reactive so cure under normal daylight conditions. During the curing process, polymers form a complex lattice structure, giving the material good strength and temperature resistance.
Models made using the SLA process can be highly detailed, however they are generally more brittle than those made of plastics via FDM, as such these should only be used for final aesthetic models, which themselves should be painted to finish.
Due to the chemical composition of the resins, a mask should be worn when undertaking any sanding or cutting, extraction is required and the room should be well ventilated.
Formlabs Elastic 50A:
Used By:
Formlabs elastic 50A is a transparent, flexible resin. As above, it is a mixture of various photopolymers and its exact composition is unknown.
Elastic 50A is useful for parts that must be both flexible and durable, for this reason it is particularly popular for prototypes of medical objects. Due to its flexibility the material should not be painted as the layers of paint will crack and flake off with repeated flexing.
Due to the chemical composition of the resins, a mask should be worn when undertaking any sanding or cutting, extraction is required and the room should be well ventilated.
For more information on our capabilities please return to the 3D Printing Main Page.
You can return to our main Commercial Services page to see what else we have that could support your requirements.