Filaments
A reference for the most common FDM filaments — recommended settings, handling notes, trade-offs, and what each one is actually good for.
Settings are a starting point
The temperatures below are typical ranges compiled from manufacturer and community sources. Always defer to the number printed on the spool/box — every brand and colour is tuned slightly differently, and pigments (especially black, white, and glow) shift the ideal temperature. Run a temperature tower when dialling in a new roll.
Quick reference
| Filament | Nozzle (°C) | Bed (°C) | Enclosure | Part cooling | Difficulty | Hardened nozzle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA | 190–220 | 0–60 | No | 100 % | ★☆☆☆☆ | No |
| PLA+ | 205–225 | 45–60 | No | 80–100 % | ★☆☆☆☆ | No |
| Silk PLA | 205–230 | 45–60 | No | 100 % | ★★☆☆☆ | No |
| PETG | 230–250 | 70–85 | Optional | 30–50 % | ★★☆☆☆ | No |
| TPU (flex) | 210–235 | 30–50 | No | 40–100 % | ★★★☆☆ | No |
| ABS | 230–250 | 90–110 | Yes | Off / low | ★★★★☆ | No |
| ASA | 235–260 | 90–110 | Yes | Off / low | ★★★★☆ | No |
| Nylon (PA) | 240–290 | 70–100 | Recommended | Off / low | ★★★★★ | If filled |
| Polycarbonate (PC) | 260–310 | 100–120 | Yes | Off | ★★★★★ | No |
| PP (polypropylene) | 220–250 | 85–100 | Recommended | Low | ★★★★★ | No |
| PVB | 200–220 | 70–90 | No | 100 % | ★★☆☆☆ | No |
| CF / GF composites | matrix +10 | per matrix | per matrix | per matrix | ★★★★☆ | Yes |
| Wood / metal fill | 190–220 | 45–60 | No | 100 % | ★★☆☆☆ | Metal fill: yes |
| HIPS (support/model) | 230–250 | 90–110 | Yes | Low | ★★★☆☆ | No |
| PVA (support) | 180–210 | 45–60 | No | 100 % | ★★★☆☆ | No |
★ = relative difficulty to print reliably (1 = easiest). "Matrix" = the base polymer a composite is filled into (e.g. PA-CF is nylon + carbon fibre).
PLA — Polylactic Acid
The default filament and the easiest to print. Made from plant starch, low odour, minimal warping, prints without a heated bed.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Nozzle | 190–220 °C |
| Bed | 0–60 °C (adhesion improves at 55–60 °C) |
| Part cooling | 100 % |
| Print speed | 40–100+ mm/s (very forgiving) |
| Enclosure | Not needed — an enclosure can actually cause heat creep and clogs |
Notes
- Glass-transition temperature (~55–60 °C) is low: PLA softens in a hot car, sunny window, or enclosure. Not for anything load-bearing near heat.
- Brittle over time and under sustained stress; not ideal for living hinges or snap-fits that flex repeatedly.
- Only lightly hygroscopic — keeps well, but wet PLA gets brittle and prints rough.
Pros
- Cheapest and most widely available
- Excellent dimensional accuracy and fine detail
- Low warping, no enclosure or heated bed strictly required
- Low odour, plant-based
Cons
- Low heat resistance (softens ~55 °C)
- Brittle; poor long-term UV and outdoor durability
- Creeps/deforms under sustained load
Use cases: prototypes, miniatures, display models, toys, low-stress brackets, anything printed indoors that won't get hot.
PLA+ / Tough PLA
Vendor-specific PLA blends with added toughness modifiers. Prints almost like standard PLA but is less brittle and has better layer adhesion. Runs slightly hotter (205–225 °C). Same low heat resistance as PLA — the improvement is impact strength, not temperature.
Use cases: functional-but-indoor parts, clips, brackets, RC parts, anything where plain PLA cracks.
Silk PLA
PLA with additives that give a glossy, satin sheen. Print a bit hotter (205–230 °C) and slower for the best surface. The additives weaken layer adhesion, so it's an aesthetic material, not a structural one. Often clogs fine nozzles and can look stringy on multi-part surfaces.
Use cases: vases, decorative prints, cosplay props, anything where looks beat strength.
PETG — Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol
The best all-round functional filament for most people: much tougher and more heat/chemical resistant than PLA, but far easier than ABS. The glycol modification of PET (the plastic in water bottles).
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Nozzle | 230–250 °C |
| Bed | 70–85 °C |
| Part cooling | 30–50 % (too much cooling weakens layer bonding) |
| Print speed | 30–60 mm/s |
| Enclosure | Optional; helps on tall/thin parts |
Notes
- Stringy. Enable/dial in retraction and use a temperature tower to reduce wisps.
- Sticks too well to some beds — PETG can rip chunks out of a bare PEI/glass bed. Use a thin glue-stick layer as a release agent, not just adhesion.
- Hygroscopic — absorbs moisture, which causes popping/bubbling and stringing. Dry it if a roll has been open a while.
- Good UV and water resistance; better outdoors than PLA (though not as good as ASA).
Pros
- Strong, impact- and layer-adhesion-tough
- Good temperature (~70–80 °C) and chemical/water resistance
- Low warping, no enclosure required
- Food-contact grades exist (single-use; layer lines still harbour bacteria)
Cons
- Stringing and blobbing need tuning
- Can fuse to and damage the print surface
- Absorbs moisture; benefits from dry storage
- Slightly more flexible/less rigid than PLA
Use cases: functional parts, enclosures, brackets, outdoor fittings, mechanical components, protective housings, printed tools.
TPU / TPE — Flexible
Rubber-like elastic filament, sold by shore hardness (e.g. 95A is common and printable; 85A is softer and much harder to feed). A direct-drive extruder is strongly preferred — Bowden setups struggle to push flexible filament.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Nozzle | 210–235 °C |
| Bed | 30–50 °C |
| Part cooling | 40–100 % |
| Print speed | 15–30 mm/s — slow and steady prevents jams |
| Retraction | Minimal (0–1 mm); flex filament buckles and coils in the extruder |
Notes
- Print slowly and with low/zero retraction. Rushing causes the filament to buckle and jam between the drive gear and hotend.
- Hygroscopic — dry it if it's been open.
- Softer shore ratings (down to 85A/70A) are dramatically harder to print.
Pros
- Flexible, elastic, high impact and abrasion resistance
- Great vibration damping and grip
- Chemical- and oil-resistant grades available
Cons
- Slow to print; jam-prone on Bowden/soft grades
- Stringing is common
- Bridging and overhangs are weak
Use cases: phone cases, gaskets, seals, tyres/wheels, grips, vibration mounts, wearables, cable strain reliefs.
ABS — Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
The classic engineering plastic (LEGO is ABS). Strong, heat-resistant, and machinable, but prone to warping and cracking and it emits styrene fumes — an enclosure and ventilation are effectively mandatory.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Nozzle | 230–250 °C |
| Bed | 90–110 °C |
| Part cooling | Off or very low (cooling causes layer splitting/warping) |
| Enclosure | Required — keeps ambient temperature high and even |
Notes
- Warps badly without a hot bed + enclosure. Large flat parts lift at the corners.
- Can be vapour-smoothed with acetone for a glossy, watertight finish.
- Prints best with a draft-free, warm chamber. Draughts cause cracking between layers.
Ventilation
ABS and ASA release styrene and ultra-fine particles (UFPs) while printing. Print in a ventilated space or a filtered/vented enclosure, not a bedroom or closed office. See Safety.
Pros
- Strong, tough, impact-resistant
- Heat resistant (~100 °C)
- Acetone-smoothable; machinable, glueable, paintable
Cons
- Warps and cracks; needs an enclosure + hot bed
- Unpleasant/unhealthy fumes
- Poor UV resistance (yellows/embrittles outdoors — use ASA instead)
Use cases: functional mechanical parts, automotive interior parts, enclosures, tooling, parts exposed to moderate heat.
ASA — Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate
Effectively "ABS for outdoors." Nearly identical print behaviour and strength, but with excellent UV and weather resistance — it won't yellow or crack in sunlight. Same enclosure and ventilation requirements as ABS.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Nozzle | 235–260 °C |
| Bed | 90–110 °C |
| Part cooling | Off or very low |
| Enclosure | Required |
Use cases: outdoor fixtures, automotive exterior parts, sensor/camera mounts, planters, anything living in the sun. Prefer ASA over ABS whenever a part goes outside.
Nylon (PA) — Polyamide
Tough, semi-flexible, wear- and chemical-resistant engineering material with a low coefficient of friction. Extremely hygroscopic — it drinks water from the air and must be dried and often printed straight from a dry box, or it foams and prints poorly.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Nozzle | 240–290 °C (higher for CF/GF-filled grades) |
| Bed | 70–100 °C |
| Part cooling | Off / low |
| Enclosure | Recommended (reduces warping, keeps it dry) |
| Adhesion | Garolite/PA-specific sheets or glue stick |
Nylon must be dry
Fresh-from-a-sealed-bag nylon still often needs drying. Wet nylon pops, oozes, strings, and loses most of its strength. Dry at ~70 °C for 6–12 h and print from an enclosure or dry box. See Storage & moisture.
Pros
- Very tough and durable; fatigue- and abrasion-resistant
- Low friction — good for gears, bushings, living hinges
- High heat and chemical resistance
Cons
- Soaks up moisture aggressively; needs active drying
- Warps; benefits from an enclosure
- Higher temps; can be tricky to get good bed adhesion
Use cases: gears, bearings, bushings, functional/mechanical parts, living hinges, tooling, high-wear components.
Polycarbonate (PC)
One of the strongest and most heat-resistant consumer filaments — high impact strength and a heat-deflection point well above ABS. Also one of the hardest to print: high temperatures, significant warping, and hygroscopic.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Nozzle | 260–310 °C (a hotend rated for high temp is required) |
| Bed | 100–120 °C |
| Part cooling | Off |
| Enclosure | Required (ideally actively heated) |
Notes
- Needs an all-metal hotend and often a hardened/high-temp setup.
- Warps strongly — enclosure, hot bed, and good adhesion are essential.
- Dry before printing; wet PC prints cloudy and weak.
Use cases: high-strength, heat-exposed, impact-resistant parts — machine guards, electronics housings near heat, structural brackets, light lenses (optical grades).
Specialty & composite filaments
Chopped carbon or glass fibre blended into a base polymer (PLA-CF, PETG-CF, PA-CF, PA-GF, etc.). The fibres add stiffness and dimensional stability and a matte finish, but make the filament abrasive.
Abrasive — hardened nozzle required
CF/GF filament will grind a brass nozzle into an oversized, out-of-round hole within a spool or two. Use a hardened steel, ruby, or tungsten nozzle (0.4 mm minimum, 0.6 mm is friendlier).
- Print settings follow the base polymer, usually +5–15 °C on the nozzle.
- Fibres reduce warping and stringing versus the neat polymer.
- Stiffer, not stronger in every axis — layer adhesion can be worse.
Use cases: rigid brackets, drone/RC frames, jigs and fixtures, structural parts where stiffness and low weight matter.
PLA (usually) loaded with wood, cork, bamboo, or metal powder for aesthetics — real wood grain look/smell, or a brass/copper/steel sheen that can be polished.
- Print like PLA (190–220 °C). Use a larger nozzle (≥ 0.5 mm) — the particles clog fine nozzles.
- Metal-filled is abrasive → hardened nozzle.
- Wood fill can be sanded and stained; darker "grain" appears at higher temps.
Use cases: decorative pieces, props, busts, faux-wood/metal finishes.
Phosphorescent additives in a PLA/PETG base. Very abrasive (like a mild composite) — a hardened nozzle is recommended. Charge under light to glow. Prints slightly hotter than the base material.
Use cases: signage, night-visible knobs/handles, decorative and novelty prints.
A PLA-like material that can be vapour-smoothed with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) for a transparent, glossy finish — the "easy" way to get smooth prints without acetone. Prints around 200–220 °C. Slightly flexible and hygroscopic.
Use cases: transparent/translucent parts, smoothed display pieces, light pipes.
Lightweight, fatigue- and chemical-resistant, and semi-flexible — excellent living hinges that survive thousands of flexes. Notoriously hard to get to stick (packing tape or PP-specific sheets work because it bonds to itself). Warps; benefits from an enclosure.
Use cases: living hinges, containers, chemical-resistant parts, automotive trim, fatigue-loaded snap-fits.
Support materials
Dual-extruder / multi-material setups can print dissolvable supports in a second material, leaving clean overhangs with no scarring.
| Material | Dissolves in | Pairs with | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PVA | Water | PLA (and PETG) | Water-soluble; extremely hygroscopic — store bone-dry, print soon after opening. |
| HIPS | Limonene (d-limonene) | ABS | Also a fine standalone model material; needs an enclosure like ABS. |
| BVOH | Water | PLA, PETG, nylon | Dissolves faster and more reliably than PVA, but pricier. |
Storage & moisture
Almost every filament is hygroscopic to some degree — it absorbs water from the air. Wet filament causes popping/crackling sounds, steam, stringing, rough surfaces, weak layer bonding, and clogs.
Ranked roughly worst → best at soaking up moisture:
Nylon / PVA ≫ PC > TPU > PETG > ABS/ASA > PLA
Keeping filament dry
- Store rolls in sealed bins or vacuum bags with silica gel desiccant.
- Dry wet filament in a filament dryer or oven: PLA ~45–55 °C, PETG ~60–65 °C, ABS/ASA/nylon/PC ~70–80 °C, for 4–12 h. Never exceed the material's glass-transition temperature or the roll will fuse.
- Nylon, PVA, and PC often need to be printed from a dry box feeding the extruder, not just dried once.
Safety
Fumes and particles
All FDM printing releases ultra-fine particles (UFPs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Amounts are low for PLA/PETG but significant for ABS, ASA, nylon, and PC (styrene, etc.).
- Print in a ventilated room, or use a filtered/vented enclosure, especially for ABS/ASA/nylon/PC. Don't sleep in the same room as an actively printing high-temp material.
- Hot ends reach 200–310 °C and beds 100 °C+ — burn risk. Keep away from children and pets.
- Don't treat "food-safe" filament grades as truly food-safe: layer lines trap bacteria and most nozzles/additives aren't certified. Use a food-safe sealer or a liner for anything that contacts food.