– – Everything the Beginner Needs to Know About Filament for 3D Printing. – –
When we were just starting to print with our 3D Printer – we realized we had a LOT of questions about filament! One of the primary questions was “Which filament should we use first to print with our new 3D printer?” So we did a bunch of research – and summarize a lot of it right here!
The EASIEST filament to start 3D printing with if you are a beginner is PLA – or PolyLactic Acid. It has a relatively low melting point, is not prone to warping, adheres well to an unheated build plate, is non-toxic, and produces the fewest noxious fumes. This is the easiest material to succeed with and likely to cause you the fewest frustrations. So if you are just starting your 3D printing journey – the first filament type you should be using is PLA!
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Introduction
Currently, there are about 20 different types of filament for FDM 3D printing (Fused Deposition Modeling). As a hobbyist 3D printer there are probably about 5 or 6 of those that you might actually consider printing with. Some printers are able to use a wider variety of filaments than others, due to the higher temperatures the printer heads and build plates of those printers are capable of reaching.
Although there are many fascinating & exotic types of filament – as a beginner just staring out on your 3D printing journey – you are probably going to want to start with the easiest filament to work with to both increase your likelihood of success and reduce your frustrations.
With that said – you are going to want to start with PLA – or Polylactic Acid, filament. Other filaments that you might want to attempt to print with as you gain some proficiency & confidence with your 3D printer / printing skills are:
- Glow-In-The-Dark Filament (Usually just PLA or ABS filament with a “phosphorescent” material added to it to make it glow)
- Color-Change PLA Filament (Usually PLA with an additive that changes color when the temperature changes). May be called “Thermochanging” or “Temperature Reactive” filament too.
- TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) A very elastic & flexible material.
- PETG (Polyethlene Terephthalate Glycol) Used to manufacture water bottles. More durable than PLA, but not as difficult to work with as ABS.
- ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) Tough and durable – but also difficult to 3D print due to its tendecy to warp.
These are the most common filaments that hobbyist 3D printers are using these days. However, as you will learn, some of them (ABS in particular) are definitely more challenging to print with than PLA!
Types of Filament (Chart)
Below is a table summarizing the most common types of filament used in 3D printing, recommended print & bed temperatures, slicing guidelines and various other comments regarding each type of filament.
| Filament | Print Temp | Bed Temp | Slicing.Guidelines | Comments |
| PLA | 180 -230°C | 20 -60°C | Print speed 60mm/sec. Retraction distance of 5mm & speed 45mm/sec. Use cooling fan. | Easiest Filament to print with. Safest material to work with & fewest noxious fumes. Doesn’t require heated bed – but would benefit from one. This is what beginners should start with! |
| TPU | 210 -230°C | 20 -60°C | Print speed 25-30mm/sec. Retraction distance 3mm & speed~25mm/sec. Use cooling fan. | Very flexible! Does not require heated build plate – because it doesn’t warp or shrink – but can use. |
| PETG | 220 -250°C | 50 -75°C | Print speed~30-55mm/sec. Retraction distance 5mm & speed~40mm/sec. Use cooling fan. | A good compromise/ middle ground filament. Stronger than PLA, but easier to work with than ABS. Does emit some noxious fumes. |
| Glow-In-The-Dark PLA | 180 -230°C | 60-70°C | Print speed 50-60mm/sec. Retraction distance of 5mm & speed 45mm/sec. No cooling fan. | High cool factor – especially with the kids! Works best when exposed to UV light! Strontium aluminate glows better and lasts longer than zinc sulfide. Phosphorescent material is likely abrasive and can wear out printer parts like the brass nozzle and maybe even the extruder gear. Usually PLA or ABS based with the phosphorescent material just added to it. |
| Color Changing PLA | 196 – 230°C | 55 – 80°C | Print speed 60mm/sec. Retraction distance of 5mm & speed 45mm/sec. Use cooling fan (but maybe not on the first few layers). | High cool factor here too! Usually changes temperature around 31°C (~88°F). You can find green filament that changes to yellow, orange that changes to yellow, etc. Color changing is reversible with a return to the original temperature. So green goes to yellow above 31°C, and then returns to green when the temperature goes back below 31°C. |
| ABS | 210 -250°C | 80-110°C | Print speed~ 60mm/sec. Retraction distance 5mm & speed 45mm/sec. No cooling fan. | Stinky & noxious fumes! Notorious for warping! Stronger & more durable than PLA. Need heated bed. |
Standard Size of Filament (1.75mm vs 3mm Diameter)
Most newer 3D printers use 1.75mm diameter filament. 3mm filament is older & not used as often today because it is harder to work with & not as reliable. The larger diameter filament is more prone to cracking under stress as it is bent in a curved path to enter the hot end of the printer.
The thinner 1.75mm filament is easier to bend, twist & wind onto spools. Likewise – it is easier to de-spool (unravel) & feed more reliably, without breaking, into the 3D printer head apparatus. Additionally, it requires less force be applied for extrusion & the smaller diameter is heated more efficiently than it wider 3mm brethren. Finally, you can generally print faster with the thinner filament & in finer detail than with 3mm filament.
Cost of Filament
Prices from AMAZON as of February 2020.
| Filament | Size | Cost |
| PLA | 1.75mm / 1 kg spool | $22.99 |
| TPU | 1.75mm / 1 kg spool | $22.98 |
| PETG | 1.75mm / 1 kg spool | $23.99 |
| Glow-In-The-Dark PLA | 1.75mm / 1 kg spool | $24.59 |
| Color-Change PLA | 1.75mm / 1 kg spool | $25.99 |
| ABS | 1.75mm / 1 kg spool | $19.99 |
| Dremel PLA (proprietary) | 1.75mm / .5kg spool | $18.99 |
In my post entitled Best 3D Printer for a Beginner in 2021? The Winner is the Creality Ender 3 V2! I mentioned one added cost of purchasing the high-end Dremel DigiLAb 3D45 was the need to purchase proprietary Dremel filament.
In comparing the cost of the Dremel proprietary 1.75mm filament to generic 1.75mm filament- we can clearly see that the cost of Dremel’s proprietary filament is just about DOUBLE the cost of the generic! That is definitely a cost, long-term, that has to be factored in when considering the total cost of owning and using the Dremel DigiLab 3D45!
Please note the SIZE of the spool for the Dremel filament is just HALF a kilogram – where the size of the other spools for the generic filament is 1 kilogram!
Spool Sizes for Filament
Most filaments are sold in 1kg spools. However, sometimes specialty filaments (wood, glow-in-the-dark, etc) are sold on smaller spools. Likewise, multi color filament sets are commonly sold on smaller spools as well.
Finally, as you can see above in the “Cost of Filament” section – proprietary filaments (such as Dremel’s filament) are often sold on smaller spools too.
Where to Buy Filament
- Amazon:
- Matterhackers:
- Click HERE for 1.75mm filament offerings on Matterhackers
- AliExpress:
- Click HERE for 1.75mm filament offerings on AliExpress
I’ve been purchasing our filament on Amazon – but am open to considering other vendors, such as those listed above.
How to Store Filament
Proper storage of your filament is crucial – because some filaments tend to absorb moisture from the air (the filament is hygroscopic), a characteristic which will greatly reduce their shelf life if they are stored improperly in a humid or moist environment. Some filament types – like PC Filament (Polycarbonate) and nylon can absorb enough moisture in just 48 hours to ruin your 3D print. PLA is also subject to this problem as well – but doesn’t usually degrade as quickly as polycarbonate or nylon filament.
Storage Strategies
Some simple strategies to help you store your filament and keep it dry!
- Use large zip-lock bags, adding a couple of desiccant pouches to each bag.
- Use a vacuum bag storage system.
- Make a DIY Filament Storage Box – Using and “air-tight” tub to store multiple spools. Keep a mini-dehumidifier in the tub with the filament.
What Water Does to Your Filament
All plastics are polymers, which means that they are made up of many smaller molecules. Most of the time the letter “P” in the filament names is for “Poly” (PLA = POLYlactic Acid, PETG = POLYethlene Terephthalate Glycol, TPU = Thermoplastic POLYurethane) ABS is technically a teraPOLYmer – since it is made up of three different base molecules, or monomers, those being Acrylonitrile, Butadiene and Styrene.
Polymer chains can be broken down when exposed to water – a process called hydrolysis. This breaking down of the polymer chains leads to changes in the very properties of the filament – such as change in opacity or clarity and tinsel strength of the plastic.
When filament that has been exposed to moisture / humidity is then extruded the water absorbed by the polymers making up the plastic is vaporized and creates air bubbles – which in turn breaks apart the polymer chains weakening the plastic, creating inconsistencies & voids in the surface and weakens the adhesion between layers of extruded filament. Below you can see some of our experience with this occurring.
Filament that has been keep dry – and not exposed to excessive moisture, consistently yields better overall prints then filament that has been exposed to moisture. However, if you find similar results to what I show above, and you suspect that your filament has absorbed some moisture there is still hope! Please read below on how to dry your filament!
Drying Filament
In the event you find your filament has absorbed some moisture (by detecting bubbles, hissing/cracking/popping or see steam coming off the filament when you load it into the extruder) – there are ways that you can attempt to resuscitate compromised filament – if the exposure to moisture hasn’t been too excessive.
The most convenient and easy way to dry out filament that has been exposed to moisture is to “cook” it out (or bake it out) with your oven! Preheat your oven to the following temperatures based on the type of filament you are looking to dry out. These temperatures are right below the “glass transition” temperatures for each of the stated filament types.
The glass transition temperature is simply the temperature at which the filament transitions from a relatively hard and brittle state to a more viscous or rubbery state.
| Filament Type | Temperature °C | Temperature °F |
| PLA | ~40 – 45 °C | ~104 – 113 °F |
| ABS & Nylon | ~80 °C | ~176 °F |
Alternatively, you can use the warming draw of your oven – if you have one.
To completely dry out a spool of filament keep it in the oven (or warming drawer) for 4-6 hours. Immediately after removing the spool from the oven – place it in an airtight container – preferably with some desiccant pouches to prevent the problem from happening again!
Dimensional Accuracy
What is the importance of Dimensional Accuracy when buying filament for my 3D printer?
Dimensional accuracy just refers to how true & consistent the diameter of the filament is to the stated diameter. For example, if you are buying 1.75mm PLA filament and the dimensional accuracy is guaranteed to be within + or – ( +/- ) .003mm – the actual diameter of the filament might vary between as large as 1.78mm to as small as 1.72mm.
Filament that has a greater dimensional accuracy will usually cost a premium compared to filament that is less consistent in size (diameter). So you can expect to pay more for 1.75mm PLA filament with a guaranteed dimensional accuracy of +/- .003mm than the same PLA filament with only a +/- .005mm dimensional accuracy.
The greater the variation in the width of the filament coming into the extruder – the greater the likelihood of variation in the output of the extruder. Variation in the flow of melted filament from the extruder will potentially lead to blobs & clumping – which will negatively impact the overall quality of the print.
The expected variation in flow with a 1.75mm filament with +/- .005mm would be +/- 2.9% as opposed to 1.7% for a 1.75mm filament with a dimensional accuracy of +/- .003mm.
As such – you would expect a more uniform and overall better print quality with the higher dimensional accuracy ( +/- .003mm) filament.
Exotic Materials & Filaments
If you are just a hobby 3D printer – you may be more limited in the types of filament that you can use compared to some of the 3D printing services out there. But you might still really like to see a particular model you’ve designed or created printed in a filament that you can’t print yourself with your own 3D printing equipment.
That’s where the option of using a 3D printing service is of great value! Hope on over to one of their websites and get a quote to see how much it would cost to get your model printed in the material you want! Or maybe it is even a material that you could technically print with on your own equipment – but it a more difficult material or filament to work with that you have not had any success with yet.
I like All3DP’s service Craftcloud3D.com – since it is a price comparison service for many different 3D printers and it covers an amazing array of different materials with which things can be printed! I can’t wait until I can find something I can justify being printed in titanium!
Conclusion
When you are 3D printing make sure your “ingredients” (your filament) is of good quality and in a good dry state. Much like baking – where you would let you flour get moist, neither should you let your filament.
The quality of what you put into your extruder will, in large part, determine the overall quality of your print!
Sincerely,
