Materials & Capabilities
Tools & Materials
Over 20 materials on hand capable of running everything from everyday PLA to industrial-grade PPS-CF. The right material makes a real difference — here's what each one offers.
Showing 18 materials
PLA / PLA+
Polylactic Acid
The go-to for clean, detailed parts used indoors. PLA+ improves on base PLA with better toughness — less likely to crack on impact.
Strengths
- ✓Sharp detail and clean surface finish
- ✓Huge color selection
- ✓Eco-friendly, plant-based material
- ✓Great for decorative and cosmetic parts
Limitations
- –Will soften or warp in a hot car or direct sun
- –Can crack under sharp impacts
- –Not for wet or outdoor environments long-term
Best For
Indoor display items, prototypes, cosmetic parts, anything where appearance matters more than abuse
PLA Matte Plus
Same toughness as PLA+ but with a premium matte finish that naturally hides seam lines — parts look more finished right off the printer.
Strengths
- ✓Clean matte surface hides layer lines
- ✓Looks more professional than glossy PLA
- ✓Wide color range
- ✓Great for customer-facing or gifted parts
Limitations
- –Indoor use only
- –Not suitable for heat or UV exposure
Best For
Consumer products, display parts, anything where first impressions matter
PETG
Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol
A step up from PLA for everyday functional parts. Handles mild impacts, chemicals, and brief outdoor exposure better than PLA without jumping to full engineering materials.
Strengths
- ✓Impact resistant — less likely to crack under stress
- ✓Handles mild chemicals and moisture well
- ✓Slight flex prevents stress cracking
- ✓Food-safe grades available
Limitations
- –Softens under sustained high heat
- –Not for long-term UV-exposed outdoor use
Best For
Functional parts, containers, enclosures, mechanical components
PETG — Glow in the Dark
Standard PETG toughness with a phosphorescent glow — charges under any light source and emits a visible glow in the dark.
Strengths
- ✓Glows in the dark after any light exposure
- ✓Impact and chemical resistant like regular PETG
- ✓Functional and eye-catching
Limitations
- –Glow intensity dims gradually over years of use
- –Limited color options
Best For
Safety markers, emergency locators, low-light visibility parts, novelty items
ABS
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
A classic plastic known for handling moderate heat and taking post-processing well — sands, paints, and acetone-smooths to a near-injection-molded surface finish.
Strengths
- ✓Handles moderate heat — suitable for car interiors
- ✓Sandable and paintable to a smooth finish
- ✓Acetone-smoothable for a near-glassy surface
- ✓Machinable for precise post-processing
Limitations
- –Degrades with prolonged UV exposure — not for outdoor use without protection
- –Not as impact-resistant as PC or PETG
Best For
Automotive interior parts, housings, anything needing a polished post-processed finish
ASA
Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate
ABS-level strength but actually built for outdoor use. Resists UV and weather without fading, cracking, or going brittle over time.
Strengths
- ✓UV and weather resistant — holds up outdoors long-term
- ✓Retains color in direct sunlight
- ✓Impact resistant
- ✓Handles heat well
Limitations
- –Overkill for purely indoor applications where ABS or PETG would do
Best For
Outdoor parts, vehicle exteriors, anything that lives in the sun or rain
Wood PLA
PLA blended with real wood particles. Has a genuine wood-like look and texture, and can be sanded, stained, or sealed just like real wood.
Strengths
- ✓Genuine wood-like look and feel
- ✓Sandable, stainable, and sealable
- ✓Unique aesthetic unavailable in standard plastics
- ✓Lightweight
Limitations
- –Decorative and display use only — not structural
- –Lower heat tolerance than standard PLA
Best For
Decorative items, props, art pieces, display models
TPU
Thermoplastic Polyurethane
Flexible and rubber-like — won't crack or shatter on impact. Excellent grip, shock absorption, and abrasion resistance make it the default for anything that needs to flex.
Strengths
- ✓Bends and flexes without breaking
- ✓Absorbs impacts and vibration
- ✓Grippy surface texture
- ✓Resists abrasion and surface wear
- ✓Chemical resistant
Limitations
- –Will deform under sustained heavy static load
- –Not suitable for rigid structural applications
Best For
Grips, bumpers, gaskets, seals, protective covers, anything needing flex or shock absorption
PEBA
Polyether Block Amide
A step above TPU — lighter, more resilient, and stays flexible even in cold temperatures. Snaps back to its original shape after compression better than most rubber alternatives.
Strengths
- ✓Exceptional elastic recovery — springs back reliably
- ✓Stays flexible in cold weather without stiffening
- ✓Lighter than TPU
- ✓Long fatigue life under repeated flex cycles
Limitations
- –Premium cost over standard TPU
- –Limited color availability
Best For
High-cycle flex components, parts needing reliable snap-back, cold-weather or dynamic applications
PC
Polycarbonate
One of the toughest printable plastics available. Near-unbreakable impact resistance combined with high-temperature tolerance — the go-to when parts need to handle real abuse.
Strengths
- ✓Exceptional impact resistance — very difficult to crack or break
- ✓Handles high continuous temperatures
- ✓Optically clear grades available
- ✓Stiff and rigid
Limitations
- –Heavier than fiber-reinforced alternatives for the same strength
Best For
Safety-critical parts, high-stress structural components, transparent or clear parts, anything taking serious mechanical abuse
PC-GF
Polycarbonate Glass Fiber
Polycarbonate reinforced with glass fiber for extreme stiffness and dimensional stability — holds tight tolerances even under sustained heat and load.
Strengths
- ✓Very stiff — minimal flex under heavy load
- ✓Holds shape precisely at elevated temperatures
- ✓Strong and dimensionally stable
Limitations
- –More brittle under sharp impact than plain PC
- –Not ideal for drop or shock-impact applications
Best For
High-load brackets, machine components, structural parts in thermal environments
PETG-GF
PETG Glass Fiber
Glass fiber reinforced PETG — noticeably stiffer and more dimensionally stable than standard PETG, with better resistance to heat and creep under load.
Strengths
- ✓Rigid and stiff — holds shape under sustained load
- ✓Better heat resistance than plain PETG
- ✓Excellent dimensional accuracy
- ✓Tougher surface finish
Limitations
- –Less flexible than plain PETG — can crack under sharp impact
- –Slightly heavier than unfilled PETG
Best For
Structural brackets, load-bearing mounts, parts that need to hold tight tolerances under heat or pressure
PETG-ESD
PETG Electrostatic Dissipative
Standard PETG with a special formulation that safely dissipates static electricity — protecting sensitive electronics from electrostatic discharge damage.
Strengths
- ✓Protects sensitive electronics from static damage
- ✓Reliable and consistent static dissipation
- ✓Tough and impact resistant like regular PETG
Limitations
- –Only available in black
- –Higher cost than standard PETG — specialty application
Best For
PCB trays, electronics enclosures, semiconductor tooling, ESD-controlled work environments
PET-CF / PET-GF
PET Carbon Fiber & Glass Fiber
PET reinforced with carbon or glass fiber — stiff, lightweight, and precise. CF maximizes stiffness-to-weight ratio; GF adds slightly more impact tolerance.
Strengths
- ✓High stiffness-to-weight ratio (especially CF)
- ✓Excellent dimensional accuracy — doesn't warp or shrink
- ✓CF version very lightweight for its strength
- ✓GF version adds impact tolerance over CF
Limitations
- –Brittle under sharp impact — not for drop or shock applications
- –Not flexible
Best For
Lightweight structural parts, brackets, jigs, tooling, drone frames
PAHT-CF / PAHT-GF
High-Temp Polyamide Carbon & Glass Fiber
High-temperature polyamide with fiber reinforcement. Built for environments that would destroy standard materials — handles sustained heat, thermal cycling, and mechanical load simultaneously.
Strengths
- ✓Handles sustained heat up to ~180°C
- ✓Stiff and strong even under thermal stress
- ✓Dimensionally stable through heat cycles
- ✓Resists creep and deformation under load
Limitations
- –Industrial/specialty use — overkill for most consumer applications
- –Higher cost reflects extreme performance
Best For
Under-hood automotive components, industrial tooling, parts that see continuous high heat
PPS-CF / PPS-GF
Polyphenylene Sulfide Carbon & Glass Fiber
Extreme-duty material for the harshest environments. Resists virtually all chemicals, is inherently flame retardant, and handles continuous temperatures that would melt most other plastics.
Strengths
- ✓Resists virtually all chemicals including solvents and acids
- ✓Inherently flame retardant — no additives needed
- ✓Handles continuous use up to ~220°C
- ✓Excellent dimensional stability
Limitations
- –Industrial/specialty use — significant cost premium
- –Overkill for all but the most extreme applications
Best For
Chemical processing components, extreme industrial environments, applications requiring inherent flame resistance
PA12-CF
Nylon 12 Carbon Fiber
Nylon 12 reinforced with carbon fiber — stiff, fatigue-resistant, and accurate. Handles repeated stress cycles that would eventually crack or fatigue other materials.
Strengths
- ✓Outstanding fatigue resistance under repeated loading
- ✓High stiffness and strength
- ✓Holds tight tolerances
- ✓Lower moisture sensitivity than standard nylon
Limitations
- –Avoid prolonged submersion in water
- –Not for applications needing flex or give
Best For
Repetitive-load parts, snap-fit assemblies, industrial tooling, functional mechanical components
PA6-GF
Nylon 6 Glass Fiber
Nylon 6 reinforced with glass fiber — excellent wear resistance and strength at a competitive cost. The right choice for parts that slide, rub, or bear sustained load.
Strengths
- ✓Excellent wear and abrasion resistance
- ✓Strong and stiff under load
- ✓Handles moderate heat well
- ✓Cost-effective for engineering-grade applications
Limitations
- –Can absorb moisture over time — avoid submerged use
- –Dimensional changes in very high humidity
Best For
Gears, bushings, load-bearing brackets, wear-resistant components, anything that rubs against another surface
What I Can Do
High-Temperature Materials
Capable of running demanding engineering-grade filaments including PC, PAHT, PPS, and carbon/glass fiber composites.
Multi-Material Prints
Supports material changes mid-print — useful for multi-color parts, dual-material assemblies, or soluble supports for complex internal geometries.
Tight Tolerances
Parts are designed and dialed in for consistent fitment. Reloading accessories in particular demand repeatable tolerances — every print is inspected before shipping.
20+ Materials On Hand
From everyday PLA and PETG through industrial PA12-CF, PPS-CF, and PETG-ESD — material selection is matched to the application.
Custom Part Design
No file? No problem. Custom parts can be designed from scratch or adapted from your measurements. Describe what you need and we'll work through it.
Small Batch & Production Runs
Running two printers simultaneously allows for efficient small-batch production. Bulk orders welcome — reach out to discuss lead times and pricing.
Not sure which material to choose?
Describe your application and I'll recommend the right material for the job.