Types of 3D Printing Plastic

3D printed plastics can be used for a range of parts from prototypes to engineering models to end-use components. 3D printing plastics comprise thermoplastics, thermosets, resins, and polyurethanes. These materials, and their respective printing platforms, are prized for their light weight, low cost, ability to form complex geometries, and quick turnaround.

3D printing materials have a vast range of mechanical properties. Commodity materials, such as general-purpose grades of nylon, ABS, ASA, and PLA, are widely available at a low cost and offer well-rounded properties for rapid and functional prototype parts. It is also possible to create end-use parts using extremely high-performance plastics, such as ULTEM and various DLS™ resins, which boast a range of mechanical properties, including high impact resistance, high heat and chemical resistance, and biocompatibility.

Explore our materials in depth below:

It is important to note that the performance of any type of 3D printing plastic is highly dependent on the 3D printing platform used to print it. For example, FDM printing has coarser layers and different directional strength from its extrusion printing, while HP MJF, SLS, SLA, PolyJet, DLS™ produce isotropic parts with equal strength in all directions. For high-resolution parts (even those rivaling injection molding cosmetics), it is essential to select a type of 3D printing plastic, such as SLA resin, PolyJet resin, or DLS™ resin. The above materials are labeled with their respective processes to help demonstrate what each category of materials is capable of producing.