About The Materials We Use

Materials We Us With Our FDM Printers

We here at www.creopop.co.uk only use few types of materials to make our prints. Below is a list of what they are, their properties and abilities

ABS

ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)

Has a long history in the 3D printing world. This material was one of the first plastics to be used with industrial 3D printers. Many years later, ABS is still a very popular material thanks to its low cost and good mechanical properties. ABS is known for its toughness and impact resistance, allowing you to print durable parts that will hold up to extra usage and wear. LEGO building blocks are made from this material for that same reason! ABS also has a higher glass transition temperature, which means the material can withstand much higher temperatures before it begins to deform. This makes ABS a great choice for outdoor or high temperature applications. When printing we have good ventilation, as the material tends to have a slight (Noxious) odour. ABS also tends to contract quite a bit as it cools, making precision parts a little tricky, to print.

Pros

  • Low Cost
  • Good impact and wear resistance
  • Less oozing and stringing gives models smoother finish
  • Good heat resistance

Cons

  • Heavy warping
  • Needs heated bed or heated chamber
  • Produces a pungent odor while printing
  • Parts tend to shrink leading to dimensional inaccuracy

TPU

TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane)

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is a melt-processable thermoplastic elastomer with high durability and flexibility. It provides several physical and chemical property combinations for demanding applications. 

TPU is the material of choice in applications where abrasion resistance is critical. These include automotive interior parts, sports and leisure, technical parts, and specialty cables. It shows excellent results when compared to other thermoplastic materials.

TPU is also flexible and can be used manufacture and making of trainers, tyres and we have even made mobile phone cases with it.

Pros

  • Flexible and soft
  • Excellent vibration dampening
  • Long shelf life
  • Good impact resistance

Cons

  • Difficult to print
  • Poor bridging characteristics
  • Possibility of blobs and stringing
  • May not work well on Bowden extruders

PLA

PLA (Polylactic Acid), is one of the most popular materials used in desktop 3D printing. It is the default filament of choice for most extrusion-based 3D printers because it can be printed at a low temperature and does not require a heated bed. PLA is a great first material to use as you are learning about 3D printing because it is easy to print, very inexpensive, and creates parts that can be used for a wide variety of applications. It is also one of the most environmentally friendly filaments on the market today. Derived from crops such as corn and sugarcane, PLA is renewable and most importantly biodegradable. As a bonus, this also allows the plastic to give off a sweet aroma during printing. Most of our prints are made using PLA or PLA derivatives, PLA+, PLA Silk, PLA Matte, PLA Wood and even Glow in the Dark PLA

Pros

  • Low Cost
  • Stiff and good strength
  • Good dimensional accuracy
  • Good shelf life

Cons

  • Low heat resistance
  • Can ooze and may need cooling fans
  • Filament can get brittle and break
  • Not suitable for outdoors (sunlight exposure)

PETG

PETG (is a Glycol Modified version of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)) which is commonly used to manufacture water bottles. It is a semi-rigid material with good impact resistance, but it has a slightly softer surface which makes it prone to wear. The material also benefits from great thermal characteristics, allowing the plastic to cool efficiently with almost negligible warpage. There are several variations of this material in the market including PETG, PETE, and PETT. 

Pros

  • Glossy and smooth surface finish
  • Adheres well to the bed with negligible warping
  • Mostly odorless while printing

Cons

  • Poor bridging characteristics
  • Can produce thin hairs on the surface from stringing
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