Materials

Choose the right filament for your part

Six commonly used FDM thermoplastics with typical published material properties, stock colours and practical guidance. Not sure which material you need? Tell us how the part will be used and we will recommend a suitable option based on temperature, load, impact, flexibility, environment and appearance.

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FDM

Engineering thermoplastics

6 filament materials from general-purpose PLA to carbon-fibre nylon. Functional parts, fixtures, brackets, prototypes, and load-bearing components subject to application review — printed in-house on FDM equipment.

Materials: 6
Typical tolerance: ±0.2 mmon suitable geometries; confirmed per part
Typical lead: 2–5 days

Find by application

Match your use case to a shortlist — then read the full spec below.

Prototypes & display

High surface quality, paintable, good dimensional stability.

PLA PETG

Functional mechanical

Brackets, housings, repeated handling, and load-bearing prototypes subject to application review.

PETG ABS PA-CF

High temperature

Warm machine environments, parts near moderate heat sources, and low-risk automotive prototypes.

ABS Polycarbonate (PC) PA-CF

Flexible & rubber-like

Seals, grips, dampers, and compliant interfaces.

TPU 95A

Translucent and light-transmitting

Light transmission and translucent covers — not optical-grade clarity as printed.

Polycarbonate (PC) PETG

Jigs, fixtures & tooling

Stiffness, dimensional stability, and workshop durability.

PA-CF ABS PETG

Material library

6 FDM materials · filter by property

Filter by property

FDM Standard

PLA

Bio-based general-purpose thermoplastic, best suited to prototypes, visual parts, and low-stress indoor components. Excellent surface finish and dimensional accuracy.

Tensile: 45–55 MPa
HDT: 55–60 °C
Density: 1.24 g/cm³
Elongation: 3–6 %

Easy to printSmooth finishLow warpBrittle

Best used for

Visual prototypes and concept models
Display pieces and marketing samples
Low-stress brackets and jigs (indoor use)
Education and design iteration

Avoid where

Parts above ~55 °C service temperature
High-impact or snap-fit assemblies under repeated load
Outdoor UV exposure without coating
Chemical or solvent contact

Available colours

Typical stock — confirm at quote for your batch

Black
White
Grey
Natural
Red
Blue
Green
Orange

Key design considerations — Widest colour range in our FDM lineup. Annealing can raise heat resistance but changes dimensions — discuss if needed.

FDM Standard

PETG

Tougher than PLA with better layer adhesion and chemical resistance. A reliable all-rounder for functional enclosures, brackets, and parts that need modest flexibility before fracture.

Tensile: 40–50 MPa
HDT: 65–75 °C
Density: 1.27 g/cm³
Elongation: 4–8 %

Low warpingGood layer bondChemical resistantSlightly softer than PLA

Best used for

Functional enclosures and cable management
Parts needing moderate chemical resistance; confirm the specific chemical exposure before production
Snap-fit prototypes with moderate deflection
Guards, covers and workshop tooling

Avoid where

Sustained temperatures above ~70 °C
Maximum stiffness or load-bearing structural parts
True optical clarity; clear grades are better treated as translucent covers, guards, or light-diffusing parts

Available colours

Typical stock — confirm at quote for your batch

Black
White
Grey
Clear · Translucent — for light transmission, not lens-like clarity
Blue

FDM Engineering

ABS

Industry-standard thermoplastic with higher heat and impact resistance than PLA. Suitable for automotive-adjacent prototypes, non-certified equipment housings, covers, and parts that see moderate mechanical stress.

Tensile: 30–40 MPa
HDT: 85–98 °C
Density: 1.04 g/cm³
Elongation: 10–25 %

Impact resistantHeat resistantAcetone smoothableProne to warping

Best used for

Prototype electronics housings, covers, and non-certified equipment enclosures
Automotive interior parts, electrical housings, and higher-temperature prototypes away from engine/exhaust heat
Parts requiring acetone vapour smoothing
Higher-temperature functional prototypes

Avoid where

Outdoor UV exposure without ASA or coating
Large flat panels prone to warping (consider PETG or Hyper ABS alternatives)
Fine cosmetic detail on unsupported surfaces

Available colours

Typical stock — confirm at quote for your batch

Black
White
Grey
Natural

Key design considerations — Vapour smoothing available on request for cosmetic surfaces.

FDM Premium

TPU 95A

Shore 95A flexible filament — rubber-like elasticity with high elongation at break. Our go-to for gaskets, grips, bumpers, and compliant interfaces.

Tensile: 25–40 MPa
Density: 1.20 g/cm³
Elongation: 450–650 %

FlexibleAbrasion resistantHigh elongationSlow to print

Best used for

Seal-style interfaces, gasket-style parts, grips, bumpers, dampers, and compliant mounts
Snap-on covers with flexure
Wear pads and soft-touch interfaces

Avoid where

Rigid structural load paths
High-precision threaded features
Sustained elevated temperatures without review

Available colours

Typical stock — confirm at quote for your batch

Black
White
Red

Key design considerations — HDT is not meaningful for elastomers — expect increased flexibility, creep, or compression set at elevated temperatures; confirm if the part will see sustained heat.

FDM Premium

PA-CF

Carbon-fibre reinforced nylon, typically PA12-CF. A stiff, heat-resistant option for jigs, brackets, drill guides, and production fixtures where the load path can be designed around FDM layer direction — our stiffest standard FDM option, and strongest in many correctly oriented applications.

Tensile: 70–90 MPa
HDT: 125–135 °C
Density: 1.06 g/cm³
Elongation: 3–5 %

Carbon fibreHigh stiffnessHeat resistantLow moisture uptake vs PA6

Best used for

Jigs, fixtures, and drill guides
Stiff prototype brackets, fixtures and non-safety-critical frames
Metal-replacement concept parts where the load path, orientation, and safety factor are reviewed
Parts requiring dimensional stability in workshop conditions

Avoid where

Cosmetic show surfaces (matte, fibre texture)
High-impact snap-fits (brittle elongation ~3–5 %)
Applications requiring food or medical certification

Available colours

Typical stock — confirm at quote for your batch

Black · CF-filled — dark finish only
Dark grey

Key design considerations — Annealing can improve heat performance but may change dimensions; use only where planned into the design. XY tensile values shown; Z-layer strength is lower (typical anisotropy ~1.4–1.8×).

FDM Premium

Polycarbonate (PC)

High-performance engineering plastic with excellent heat resistance and impact toughness. Clear grades are useful for translucent covers, guards, and light-diffusing parts, but not optical-grade clarity as printed.

Tensile: 55–65 MPa
HDT: 110–120 °C
Density: 1.20 g/cm³
Elongation: 4–8 %

High heatImpact toughClear/translucent optionDemanding to print

Best used for

High-temperature functional prototypes
Translucent covers and light diffusers (clear grade — not optical-grade by default)
Load-bearing parts requiring toughness, subject to design review of application, orientation and safety factor
Prototype electrical housings and isolation components where certification is not required

Avoid where

Large flat parts without warping risk management
Fine-detail cosmetic models at sub-0.2 mm features
Budget-sensitive runs where PETG or ABS suffices

Available colours

Typical stock — confirm at quote for your batch

Clear · Translucent — not glass clarity
Black

Material comparison

Qualitative guide for selection — not guaranteed finished-part performance. Use the cards on small screens; denser table on larger screens.

PLA

Main advantage: Easy, accurate visual and low-stress parts
Temperature: Low
Impact: Low
Flexibility: Rigid / brittle
Outdoor / UV: Poor without coating
Chemical: Limited
Typical uses: Prototypes, display, indoor jigs
Main limitation: Softens around ~55 °C; brittle under impact

PETG

Main advantage: Tough all-rounder with good layer bond
Temperature: Moderate
Impact: Good
Flexibility: Slightly tougher than PLA
Outdoor / UV: Fair
Chemical: Moderate — confirm exposure
Typical uses: Enclosures, routing, functional brackets
Main limitation: Not for high heat or maximum stiffness

ABS

Main advantage: Higher heat and impact than PLA
Temperature: Good
Impact: Good
Flexibility: Tougher than PLA
Outdoor / UV: Poor without ASA/coating
Chemical: Moderate
Typical uses: Housings, higher-temp prototypes
Main limitation: Warping risk; UV without protection

TPU 95A

Main advantage: Rubber-like flexibility and elongation
Temperature: Application-dependent
Impact: Excellent (energy absorption)
Flexibility: High (Shore 95A)
Outdoor / UV: Grade-dependent
Chemical: Grade-dependent
Typical uses: Grips, bumpers, compliant mounts
Main limitation: Not for rigid structural loads

PA-CF

Main advantage: High stiffness and heat resistance
Temperature: High
Impact: Moderate (low elongation)
Flexibility: Very stiff
Outdoor / UV: Workshop / indoor typical
Chemical: Good for many oils/chemicals
Typical uses: Fixtures, drill guides, stiff brackets
Main limitation: Anisotropic; brittle snap-fits; fibre finish

Polycarbonate (PC)

Main advantage: Heat resistance and toughness
Temperature: High
Impact: Very good
Flexibility: Tough
Outdoor / UV: Limited without coating
Chemical: Moderate
Typical uses: High-temp prototypes, tough covers
Main limitation: Demanding to print; clear grades translucent

Material	Main advantage	Temperature	Impact	Flexibility	Outdoor / UV	Chemical	Typical uses	Main limitation
PLA	Easy, accurate visual and low-stress parts	Low	Low	Rigid / brittle	Poor without coating	Limited	Prototypes, display, indoor jigs	Softens around ~55 °C; brittle under impact
PETG	Tough all-rounder with good layer bond	Moderate	Good	Slightly tougher than PLA	Fair	Moderate — confirm exposure	Enclosures, routing, functional brackets	Not for high heat or maximum stiffness
ABS	Higher heat and impact than PLA	Good	Good	Tougher than PLA	Poor without ASA/coating	Moderate	Housings, higher-temp prototypes	Warping risk; UV without protection
TPU 95A	Rubber-like flexibility and elongation	Application-dependent	Excellent (energy absorption)	High (Shore 95A)	Grade-dependent	Grade-dependent	Grips, bumpers, compliant mounts	Not for rigid structural loads
PA-CF	High stiffness and heat resistance	High	Moderate (low elongation)	Very stiff	Workshop / indoor typical	Good for many oils/chemicals	Fixtures, drill guides, stiff brackets	Anisotropic; brittle snap-fits; fibre finish
Polycarbonate (PC)	Heat resistance and toughness	High	Very good	Tough	Limited without coating	Moderate	High-temp prototypes, tough covers	Demanding to print; clear grades translucent

Properties shown are typical datasheet-based ranges from manufacturer TDS and published test data. Actual finished-part performance depends on print orientation, geometry, wall structure, infill, processing conditions, material supplier and operating environment. We confirm suitability for your application at quote stage — these values are not guaranteed finished-part performance.

What we check before printing

Material fit

We confirm the selected filament matches your load, temperature, and environment before production starts.

Orientation

Build direction is chosen to balance strength, surface finish, and support contact on critical faces.

Geometry review

Wall thickness, overhangs, and tolerances are checked against FDM design rules for your material.

Colour & finish

Stock colours confirmed at quote. Custom colours and post-processing discussed for repeat orders.

Not sure which material you need?

Tell us how the part will be used — temperature, load, impact, flexibility, environment and appearance — and we will recommend a suitable option.

Ask for a recommendation See applications