PLA/PLA+
PLA is the industry standard for plastic FDM 3D printers. It’s relatively low melting temperature and ease of printing leave it more desirable to use when compared to other materials like ABS or PETG. PLA+ is very similar to PLA with the inclusion of additives to make it stronger and increase layer adhesion at the cost of a slighty higher price tag
PLA/PLA+ Uses
PLA/PLA+ is an exceptionally versatile material with plenty of general uses. It’s main selling point above other filaments is the cheap pricetag. Due to this, it is commonly used for prototyping before printing in a more expensive and permenant material. PLA/PLA+ has a surface finish that is approprioate for most decorative models wwithout any extra treatment, although certain filaments can go through post-processing treatment to enhance surface texture, shine and to remove layer lines.
For almost every print, PLA/PLA+ is the way to go.
PLA/PLA+ does have some drawbacks. Due to the lower melting temperature, parts are not particularly heat resistant, suffering deformations and structural compromises and around 55 degrees C. It is also not UV stable and is not for use in direct sunlight. Aditionally, PLA/PLA+ is not designed as a mechanically strong filaments and may break under small loads.
Silk PLA
Very similar to regular PLA, silk PLA is relatively easy to print with. It has the same mechanical properties as PLA, however it does cost more for the material due to the dhiny finish it provides over printed models.
Silk PLA Uses
Due to the shine it provided, silk PLA is primarily used for display models. While it could also be used for prototyping, the increased cost leaves it as a decorative filament. Silk PLA additionally comes in a large variety of intersting colours and colour combinations. It is far more common to find gradiant or multicolour filaments in Silk PLA as opposed to regular PLA.
Special PLA
Special PLA is yyet anoother variation of the versatile PLA. It is not an official variation, however it encompasses all other unique PLA filaments such as metal filled or glow in the dark PLA. All of these small variations have addatives that enhance or change the characteristics of the material.
Some of the different special PLA filaments include wood or metal filled, temperature changing, glow-in-the-dark, carbon or glass fibre reinfoorced, glitter filled, translucent, high-speed, gradient(gradient is technically just standard PLA but for the sake of it i have placed it here) and many others.
Special PLA Uses
Special PLA can be used for a variety of models. From cool textures to increadible structural durability with the carbon or glass reinforced material. Aditionally, they all have different printing requirements and any material with particles inside is prone to clogging nozzles. This means a larger nozzle diameter is usually required which results in slightly lower quality prints depending on the nozzle used.
PETG
PETG was the standard material for printed years ago, before PLA began being manufactured. It has increased printing difficulty as opposed to PLA, where is has a problem with warping as it prints. It is highly recommended to print in an enclosure. Due to this, most open bed basic 3D printers will struggle to print in PETG unless with the correct settings and environment. PETG also doesnt come in a wide range of colours usually when compared to PLA.
PETG Uses
Unlike PLA, PETG has a higher melting tempperature, leading to less thermal deformation. It is mechanically stronger than PLA and is more UV resistant. However it sufferes with printing small objects as it has a problem with sticking to the build plate occasionally. It is used for creating stroger prototypes, as well as food safe containers. It is however more expensive than PLA
ABS
ABS is a good choice for printing as it is very strong, temperature resistant and UV resistant. It is the same material that LEGO bricks and car plastics are made from. However it is usually difficult to print with, requiring an enclosure and a slowers speed with appropriate cooling settings, due to its tendancy to warp.
ABS Uses
Similar to PETG, ABS has good use in prototyping, as it has excelent properties that help it. It is a durable plastic that is good for outdoor used and mechanical components. Due to the higher printing temperature, deformation doesnt begin until around 100 degrees C. It is not recommended to use for any food containers.
TPU
TPU is a very unique plastic, as the material is flexible both before and after printing allowing for some interesting ‘squishy’ models. It does however lack in surface quality and finish.
TPU Uses
TPU has found use in rubber-like models, and is very commonly used for feet or stopppers on the bottom of models. It can also be used to print tyres for RC cars or other toys