Your guide to 3D filament

At RepRapWorld, we have a wide assortment of 3D printer filaments available from our webshop. Our filament collection is continuously growing as we test the latest 3D filament on the market to provide you with the best printing experience. With this guide, you can find 3D filament for every project!

PLA - Polylactic Acid

PLA filament is the most popular material used for 3D printing. PLA filament is embraced for its easy printability and is a great choice for beginner makers. It is also one of the most eco-friendly materials as it is derived from natural materials, making it biodegradable. In its neutral form, the PLA filament has a semi-translucent beige appearance. PLA filament prints best at an extruder temperature between 180°C-220°C and a heated bed temperature between 0°C-60°C. We offer enhanced PLA filament blends such as the PLA+ filament that prints at the same settings but has enhanced mechanical qualities and is much stronger and durable. If you are looking to buy PLA filament, here you can find the best PLA in the UK.

ABS - Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene

ABS filament is also a very popular filament material, known for its durability and strength. This is the material that leggo blocks are made out of. ABS filament does produce a smell during printing and requires to be printed with an enclosure in a space with as much ventilation as possible. A great advantage of ABS filament is that it can be melted down and reshaped into another object repeatedly. Objects printed with ABS filament will have high heat resistance, great chemical resistance, and good rigidity. Print successfully with ABS filament at an extruder temperature range between 230°C-260°C. Use a heated bed with the temperature 95°C-110°C. Achieve great ABS prints with proper adhesion by using Kapton tape or 3DLAC adhesive spray. Buy ABS filament for exceptional quality 3D prints.

PETG - Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol

PETG filament is one of the newer filament material types and has quickly become a very popular one, thanks to its impressive material qualities. PETG filament is viewed as having the best of both worlds- sharing the finest properties of both PLA filament and ABS filament! PETG filament has low warping and shrinkage and will create sturdy prints with a smooth finish. This filament is a food-safe plastic material that is bendable and has superb layer adhesion. In its neutral state, PETG filament is transparent providing multiple translucent and opaque color options available in our assortment. PETG filament is fully recyclable and prints at an extruder temperature between 230°C-250°C. PETG filament does not require a heated bed during printing. If you would like to try printing with PETG filament, we offer premium quality material at the best price.

ASA - Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate

ASA filament is an engineering thermoplastic specially created for outdoor use. Due to its extreme chemical resistance and UV light resistance, objects printed with ASA filament will keep their initial appearance for a very long time and will not be affected by weather. To successfully print ASA filament, have an extruder temperature of 220°C-260°C and a heated bed temperature of 80°C-100°C. Perform printing with an enclosure so that your object or part will not cool down too fast. For extra adhesion, use 3DLAC and Kapton tape.

Carbon fiber filament

Carbon fiber filament, also known as PC-PETG filament refers to any filament that has been infused with carbon fiber. Adding tiny strands of carbon fiber to a composite material will give the material carbon fiber properties. These properties will allow the material to have increased tensile strength, great chemical resistance, and extreme rigidity. In the case that you need an extremely strong and stiff durable 3D part that is lightweight, carbon fiber filament is a great choice. Do take into consideration that carbon fiber is abrasive and therefore a hardened steel nozzle or ruby tip nozzle is required during printing. The printing instructions for carbon fiber filament are similar to the instructions of the base materials. Always check the manufacturer's directions for 3D printing. The extruder temperature will typically be around 140°C. A heated bed is not required, however if you would like to use one for your print, keep it at temperatures between 45°C-60°C. For adhesion, we recommend using a PEI sheet or Kapton tape.

PA - Nylon filament

Nylon filament, also sometimes referred to as polyamide, is a filament material with extreme flexibility and strength. In comparison to ABS filament and PLA filament, Nylon filament has more strength and durability. Objects made with Nylon filament will be able to handle friction very well and will be able to bend repeatedly without snapping. Nylon filament prints at an extruder temperature of 225°C-265°C and requires a heated bed set at temperatures between 70°C-90°C. Using an enclosure is advised. For adhesion, use 3DLAC or a PEI sheet. Be sure to use a hardened steel nozzle.

PCL - Polycaprolactone filament

PCL filament is a biodegradable thermoplastic with brilliant layer adhesion and exceptional mechanical qualities. PCL filament is relatively easy to print, melting at a temperature of 60°C. This makes this material easy to reshape repeatedly. Once your printed object has cooled down, it is rigid and impact resistant.

PVA - Polyvinyl Alcohol

PVA filament is commonly used as a support material for PLA filament. It is a water-soluble filament that will disintegrate in warm water and therefore provides efficient and quick removal. PVA filament will print at an extruder temperature of 200°C-225°C with a heated bed temperature between 40°C-60°C. The filament is extremely sensitive to moisture so be sure to store it well in an airtight container with silica gel bags. We also offer variants such as PVA Plus and PVA Pro where certain properties are strengthened and compatibility is provided so that PVA supports can match base materials such as PETG filament, ABS filament, ASA filament, and TPU filament.

HIPS - High Impact Polystyrene

HIPS filament is mostly used as a support material during 3D printing. This material is stiff with high impact resistance and heat resistance. HIPS filament has a milky white appearance and is the ideal support filament for ABS filament as they share a number of properties, bonding extremely well together. Easily remove your HIPS filament support structures by dissolving them in d'limonene. Print HIPS filament at temperatures between 220°C-260°C with a heated bed temperature range of 100°C-115°C. Buy high-quality HIPS filament here.

TPE - Thermoplastic elastomer

TPE filament is a mix of plastic and rubber and therefore has elastic and thermoplastic qualities. There are many thermoplastic elastomers available such as TPU, TCP, and TPA. TPE itself is a material that is flexible and soft with great impact resistance. This filament is used for prints where elastic and flexible properties are required. It is also chemical resistant and has good vibration damping and shock absorption. A direct drive extrusion system is required to print this flexible filament type at a printing temperature range between 210°C-260°C. Keep your heated bed temperature between 45°C-60°C. Using an enclosure is not necessary. 

TPU - Thermoplastic polyurethane

When compared to TPE, TPU filament is less flexible and has a large range of hardness containing materials that are very bendable to extremely rigid materials. To visualize this, think from a rubber band to a car tire. TPU filament materials will fall in a shore hardness range between 60A and 55D. TPU can be printed at an extruder temperature of 220°C-250°C. Using a heated bed is not required. It is best to print this filament material with a direct drive system.

Professional filament materials

Explore our professional filament materials that consist of premium industrial-grade filament. These 3D filaments are flame-retardant and have outstanding material properties which differ depending on the specific material. The professional thermoplastics have superior qualities with a series of mechanical and chemical advantages and more. Discover PEEK filament and PEKK filament with excellent chemical and mechanical features. Or print professionally with PEI filament, a material with brilliant thermal qualities. Do not miss out on our PPSU filament which is a leading amorphous thermoplastic that also has remarkable material qualities. Follow the printing instructions found on every professional filament material page for the best 3D printing results.

Professional metal filament materials

The Ultrafuse filament line by BASF has impressive industrial-level and marine-grade steel, allowing users to 3D print professional stainless steel parts for applications where extreme hardness and high mechanical strength is necessary. With the metal filament, you can print green parts that will require debinding and sintering. Green parts can be sent to D&S services who will process your part and send it back with the stainless steel’s final properties. However, it is also possible to do the debinding and sintering yourself given that you have the right equipment. To perform debinding and sintering, you will need a sintering furnace, a sintering refractory ballast, a refractory container, sintering carbon, and sapphire 3D steel blend. The sintering temperature for your furnace should be set between 900°C-1350°C for stainless steel parts.

Store your 3D filament

All 3D filament materials will perform best when they are stored with proper care. Maintain the quality of your 3D filament with a dry box to keep your filament in flawless condition. Avoid damage and eliminate moisture from getting in with silica gel bags. Using a cleaning filament in between prints will provide smooth transitions and proper maintenance of your 3D printer’s nozzle.

Easily order 3D filament

Ordering 3D filament with RepRapWorld is a breeze. When you have made an order, it will be dispatched on the same business day from our UK warehouse!

Would you like more information on filament materials and their unique properties and applications? Please contact our customer service. We are more than happy to be of assistance!