Ultimaker is taking on the challenge of 3D printing with 7 different types of filaments!
To ensure this challenge is convincing and well-founded,
let's explain Ultimaker's challenge rules!
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Models used: Ultimaker 3 3D Printer, Ultimaker 2+ 3D Printer
Filaments used: PLA, ABS, CPE, Nylon, PC, Carbon Fiber, Wood-like
Printed object: Bicycle pedal holder (attaches to the pedal)
(Image source: http://colorfabb.com/)
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Let's look at the differences between these seven finished products!
There are also printing test reviews~
①PLA
Ultimaker PLA 3D printing material (Polylactic Acid) is an environmentally friendly plastic material, one of the most widely used 3D printing materials, and recommended for 3D printing beginners. PLA can print quickly and is very safe.
Characteristics:
1. PLA is an environmentally friendly plastic made from a blend of corn starch and sugarcane derivatives, composed entirely of natural ingredients, and meets food-grade and biodegradable standards.
2. PLA is typically transparent, and different color choices will alter its original transparent color. It is suitable for printing toys and artworks. Because PLA offers a variety of colors, it is often used for multi-color blending applications.
3. PLA plastic is widely used in various fields because it has no odor (or a slight sweet scent) and does not warp easily when printing, so a heated bed is not required.
4. The printed product is rigid, insoluble in water, and not degraded by UV, making it an excellent material for creating display items.
👉Print quality review: PLA can fully reproduce object details with very high precision. It can also be observed from the image that the surface gloss (brightness) of objects printed with PLA is very high, but it still varies in degree depending on the color.
②ABS
Ultimaker ABS 3D printing material (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) is a polymer derived from petroleum.
Characteristics:
1. High strength, high toughness
2. Shrinks more than PLA when cooled, so a heated bed must be used.
3. Emits an odor during printing, requires good ventilation.
4. Not UV resistant, avoid exposure to light.
👉Print quality review: ABS can produce an extremely fine surface, suitable for printing engineering parts or detailed models and toys. From the image, it can be seen that ABS quality is even finer than PLA. However, in terms of surface brightness, PLA has a slight advantage.
※【Comparison of PLA and ABS】※
As 3D printing consumables, PLA and ABS have always performed well because both materials can reproduce details with high precision. However, in detail, ABS and PLA differ slightly; ABS has varying degrees of transparency or translucency, while PLA's surface is brighter and shinier than ABS, and PLA is harder than ABS.
③CPE
Ultimaker CPE (Co-polyester) 3D printing material is a chemical-resistant and relatively tough material, widely used for functional prototyping and modeling.
Characteristics:
1. Good chemical resistance
2. Good toughness and dimensional stability
3. Good layer adhesion, especially when printing environment is enclosed
4. Low UFP and volatile VOC content
5. Very suitable for short-run manufacturing and functional parts
👉Print quality review: Compared to PLA, objects printed with CPE have a higher gloss. However, due to its extremely high gloss, the layer lines will be more noticeable under strong light.
④Nylon
Taulman Nylon 3D printing material is widely used by manufacturers for 3D printing strong end-use parts and prototypes that require durability and wear resistance.
Characteristics:
1. High strength, high ductility, high wear resistance, high toughness, making it very suitable for final products such as gears, snap-fit structures, etc.
2. General nylon is highly hygroscopic. When not in use, please store it in a dry cabinet or seal it in a bag with desiccant to maintain the quality of the nylon filament. Although Ultimaker's nylon has lower hygroscopicity, moisture issues still need attention.
3. Good adhesion to heated beds
👉Print quality review: Ultimaker nylon can provide a seamless appearance for printed objects.
⑤PC
Polymaker PC (Polycarbonate) 3D printing material is currently the strongest and most durable 3D printing material on the market.
Characteristics:
1. Excellent toughness, making it an excellent choice for engineering applications.
2. High heat resistance, withstands temperatures up to 110°C.
3. Excellent mechanical strength (higher mechanical strength than ABS, PLA).
4. Can be easily post-processed with sandpaper for a smooth surface, and can also be spray-painted.
👉Print quality review: After being treated with sandpaper, it has extremely high gloss. Among all the bicycle pedal holder objects, this object exhibits the highest surface gloss.
⑥Carbon Fiber
ColorFabb Carbon Fiber 3D printing material is a new type of high-strength, high-modulus fiber material with a carbon content of over 95%, obtained by stacking organic fibers such as flaky graphite microcrystals along the fiber axis and then carbonizing and graphitizing them.
Characteristics:
1. High hardness, low shrinkage, high heat resistance, and lightweight, making it a perfect 3D printing material for parts in automotive, aerospace, and other industries.
2. Easy to print, allows you to print carbon fiber remote control cars, aircraft, and product models with your desktop 3D printer.
3. It is particularly important to note the abrasive nature of carbon fiber: carbon fiber will accelerate the wear of brass nozzles more than typical wood-like materials. Therefore, we recommend using stainless steel nozzles when printing carbon fiber materials.
👉Print quality review: For the same object, carbon fiber is lighter and features high strength and lightweight characteristics.
⑦Wood-like
Characteristics:
1. Similar color, smell, and texture to natural wood.
2. Excellent performance in areas requiring high precision.
3. Contains wood fibers within PLA, making this 3D printing filament as easy to print as PLA.
👉Print quality review: The printed object closely resembles real wood, exhibiting the high texture of a wooden artwork and emitting a woody scent. Like wood, it can be nailed, drilled, and carved, and even produces natural color variations depending on the temperature and speed during production! This sample uses WoodFill Fine, which gives a fresh wood appearance, is slightly reflective, and perfectly hides the layer lines from printing. It is very suitable for printing unique customized wooden artworks.