3D printing materials
Five materials cover nearly every job. You don’t have to choose — tell us where the part lives and what it does, and we’ll recommend one.
Five materials.
One right answer.
Tell us where the part lives and what it does — a hot dashboard, a -40° morning, a kid’s toy box — and we’ll choose. Here’s how they compare.
PLA
The most common 3D printing plastic, made from plant starches. It prints crisply, holds fine detail and comes in the widest range of colours, including silks, mattes and multi-colour prints. Choose it for display pieces, figurines, signs, prototypes and anything that stays indoors and out of the sun.
PETG
The same family of plastic as water bottles. PETG is tougher and slightly flexible, so it bends before it snaps. It handles moisture and moderate heat, which makes it our first choice for clips, brackets, enclosures, organisers and household replacement parts. Food-contact grades are available.
ASA
An engineering plastic used for exterior automotive trim. ASA is UV-stable, holds its shape in high heat and stays tough in deep cold. It prints in enclosed machines and is the right choice for anything in a car, on a truck, or mounted outdoors.
TPU
A flexible, rubber-like filament. TPU absorbs impacts and returns to shape, so it’s used for gaskets, seals, bumpers, feet, grips, cable strain reliefs and protective cases. Hardness varies by grade.
Resin
Resin printing cures liquid photopolymer layer by layer with light, giving smooth surfaces and detail far finer than filament. It’s ideal for miniatures, jewellery masters and small display models, but it’s more brittle and isn’t suited to outdoor use.
Wondering how each one copes with Alberta winters and summer dashboards? Read PLA vs PETG vs ASA for Alberta.
Tell us what you need.
Free quote.
Plain words are fine. You’ll get back a price, a material recommendation and any questions we have.
What helps
- A photo next to a ruler or tape measure
- The key measurements, if you have calipers
- Where it lives — indoors, outside, in a car
- How many, and by when
- Call or text
- (780) 707-6969