Sofia Martinez
3D printing is versatile, but it is commonly associated with plastic output. While plastic is the most common material used in 3D printing, 3D printers are not limited to plastic and can work with a variety of materials. Consumer 3D printers predominantly use thermoplastics such as PLA, ABS, and PETG, which soften and harden based on temperature. However, 3D printing technologies like SLS or DMLS enable printing with metals, concrete, and wax. Additionally, soluble materials like HIPS and PVA are used in 3D printing, with PVA providing support structures for specific parts to prevent warping or collapsing. Short fibers can be mixed with thermoplastics to increase stiffness and strength, and carbon fiber, glass fiber, or Kevlar can be incorporated as well.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Materials used in 3D printing | Plastic, metal, resin, concrete, wax, nylon, carbon fiber, glass fiber, Kevlar, PVA |
| Types of plastic used in 3D printing | PLA, ABS, PETG, ASA, PET, PETE, PETT |
| Plastic properties | Flexibility, strength, bio-compatibility, recyclability |
| Other materials used in 3D printing | Soluble materials, short fibers, thermoplastics |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic is the most common material used in 3D printing
3D printing is a versatile process that can use a wide range of materials. However, plastic is the most common material used in 3D printing.
Consumer 3D printers often use plastics such as PLA, ABS, and PETG, which are known as thermoplastics. These materials are called thermoplastics because they soften and harden depending on the temperature. For example, PETG, or polyethylene terephthalate, is ideal for objects intended for food contact. It is semi-rigid, has good resistance, and does not release odours during printing.
Other plastics used in 3D printing include soluble plastics like PVA, which is water-soluble and used to create support structures for specific parts of a product. Short fibres can be mixed with thermoplastics such as nylon, ABS, or PLA to increase stiffness and strength. Carbon fibre is the most common fibre used in the 3D printing sector, but glass fibre and Kevlar are also used.
While plastic is the most common material used in 3D printing, other materials can be used, such as metal powders, concrete, and wax.
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Other materials can be used, such as metal
While plastic is the most common material used in 3D printing, other materials can be used, such as metal. Metal 3D printing is used to create end-use engineering products and small-batch manufacturing. Metal 3D printing systems have similar batch manufacturing capabilities to FDM or SLA machines. Metal printers are restricted by the available print area (XY-direction) as the parts have to be attached to the build platform.
The build chamber in metal 3D printing is filled with inert gas (e.g. argon) to minimize the oxidation of the metal powder and then heated to the optimal build temperature. Metal 3D printing can produce parts with a wide range of metals and metal alloys, including aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, cobalt chrome, and Inconel. These materials are used in industrial applications, from aerospace to medicine. Metal 3D printing can also use air-hardening tool steels, which can be air-hardened to 55 HRC and are extremely abrasion-resistant.
Metal 3D printing can be done with the Metal X 3D printing system, which is designed to be safe, accessible, and easy to scale up. The Metal X combines metal injection molding (MIM) and fused filament fabrication (FFF) technologies into Bound Powder Extrusion (BPE). The BPE process provides a simple and cost-effective way to create metal parts. The Metal X is much cheaper than DMLS metal 3D printing systems and does not require a dedicated operator, powder management system, or extensive PPE.
The Markforged Sinter-2 and Sinter-1 are tube furnaces used for sintering 3D-printed metal parts. They have advanced safety features, and the Sinter-2 features a larger working volume, more precise temperature control, and a mechanical door interlock. The Sinter-2 can also process small parts in express mode, sintering up to 250g of parts in just 17 hours.
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Some 3D-printed objects are made from multiple materials
While 3D printing is commonly associated with plastic, it is possible to print with multiple materials. This is known as multi-material 3D printing, and it involves using several materials in one continuous printing process. The aim is to achieve a combination of the properties of the different materials, which may have characteristics such as conductivity, hardness, softness, transparency, or chemical resistance.
Multi-material 3D printing is possible with SLA (stereolithography) by using several vats with different materials, and it is also possible with material jetting. In the latter method, printheads are equipped with several nozzles that jet different materials using inkjet technology. FDM (fused deposition modelling) is another method that can be used for multi-material 3D printing, and it is particularly cost-effective and simple. However, FDM printers with only one nozzle will require manual material changes, which can be time-consuming and labor-intensive.
To overcome the limitations of single-nozzle FDM printers, some companies offer upgrades or add-ons that enable multi-material printing. For example, the Mosaic Palette cuts filaments to size and reassembles them into a single, precise print strand, allowing for multiple materials to be printed in a single pass. Additionally, some printers now come equipped with additional systems for multi-material printing, such as the Automated Material System (AMS) by Bambu Lab, which allows for versatile, aesthetic, and functional prints.
The design process for multi-material 3D printing can be supported by CAD software, which can create, manage, and manipulate different 3D geometric figures to form a single multiple-material object. However, not all file formats support the annotation of materials together with the object's geometry. After the design process, slicing software is used to split the 3D model into layers and generate instructions for the 3D printer to manufacture the corresponding model.
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The type of material used depends on the 3D printer
3D printing is versatile, and while plastic is the most common material used, 3D printers can work with other materials. The type of material used depends on the 3D printer and its technology.
Consumer 3D printers commonly use thermoplastics like PLA, ABS, or PETG. Thermoplastics soften and harden depending on the temperature. However, the type of material used depends on the specific application's requirements and the capabilities of the 3D printer.
For instance, some 3D printers can work with soluble materials like HIPS and PVA. PVA, a water-soluble plastic, is often used as a support structure for specific parts of a product to prevent warping or collapsing. After printing, the finished product is soaked in water to dissolve the PVA structure.
Additionally, 3D printing can be done with metal powders using technologies like DMLS, SLM, and EBM. SLS 3D printers, for example, use powder with a laser sintering technique to create 3D prints. With metal 3D printing, it is possible to print with other metals like precious metal clays, which can be pressed and fired into metal.
Other materials that can be used with 3D printing include short fibers like carbon fiber, glass fiber, or Kevlar, which can be mixed with thermoplastics to increase strength and stiffness. Furthermore, 3D printing can even go beyond plastics and metals to include materials like concrete and wax.
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Some 3D-printed objects are used as prototypes
3D printing is a manufacturing process that uses layer-by-layer fabrication to translate digital CAD files into tangible objects. While 3D printing is commonly associated with plastics, it can also be used with other materials such as nylon, polypropylene, and ABS. One of the most common applications of 3D printing is rapid prototyping.
Rapid prototyping is a broader term that involves creating prototypes using various manufacturing processes, and 3D printing is one of the most popular and effective methods. It offers better speed, flexibility, and accuracy compared to traditional manufacturing techniques. Some 3D printers can take an entire day to produce a prototype model, while others, like the Nexa3D XiP, can print at speeds of up to 18 cm per hour. This allows designers and engineers to quickly modify designs and test them without waiting for long production cycles.
The use of 3D printing in rapid prototyping has several benefits. Firstly, it reduces the time and cost associated with developing new products. Traditional manufacturing techniques often require expensive tooling and molds that can take weeks or months to create. In contrast, 3D printing eliminates the need for costly tools and molds since the 3D printer itself acts as both the tool and the mold.
Secondly, rapid prototyping with 3D printing improves part durability due to increased accuracy. This allows for the creation of stronger parts faster, leading to faster end-use product development cycles and reduced production waste. For example, Excel Orthodontic Lab tripled its efficiency by using a fast 3D printer, resulting in a higher return on investment and a longer lifetime for building value-added products.
Finally, 3D printing enables manufacturers to quickly build parts and test them, reducing product development costs, time-to-market, and improving overall product quality. This flexibility in rapid prototyping allows for iterative design and testing, which is an integral part of optimizing and proving a product's design.
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Frequently asked questions
No, 3D printers can print materials other than plastic. Consumer 3D printers mainly use plastics like PLA, ABS, or PETG, but they can also print with metal powders, concrete, and wax.
Some examples of plastics used in 3D printing are PLA, ABS, and PETG. These are known as thermoplastics because they can soften and harden depending on the temperature.
Some examples of non-plastic materials used in 3D printing are metal powders, concrete, and wax.
Plastic is a versatile material that can be used to create a wide range of objects with different characteristics, such as flexibility and bio-compatibility. It is also possible to combine materials with plastics to produce 3D prints.
