Make parts that protect equipment from electrostatic shocks without clogging your nozzle, warping your part, or needing a heated printer bed. These filaments have a base of PLA, the most common filament thanks to its low melting point, with a compound that diverts electrostatic discharges in a controlled way. PLA is also unlikely to drip and produce plastic strings for clean, detailed parts. However, it’s not as strong or as heat resistant as ABS, so it’s better for prototypes over load-bearing equipment. Since these filaments won’t produce toxic fumes, you can safely print them without ventilation. Print them on a fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printer.

To make sure your part dissipates static properly, use an electrical resistance tester to measure the surface resistivity. The target surface resistivity for PLA is 10⁷ to 10⁹ ohms. To adjust resistivity, change the temperature of your printer’s extruder. As the extruder’s temperature increases, so will the printed part’s resistivity.

Tensile strength is the best measure of a filament’s overall strength. Similar to the stress applied on a rope during a game of tug-of-war, it’s the amount of pulling force a material can handle before breaking. A higher rating means a stronger filament. A tensile strength of 5,000 psi and above is considered good; 12,000 psi and above is excellent.

Maximum exposure temperature is the point at which a printed part will begin to deform. Above this temperature, your part will start to lose structural integrity.

Create circuit prototypes and other conductive pathways with these low-maintenance PLA filaments. They combine a conductive additive with PLA, the most commonly used filament material. Their low melting temperature means they rarely clog nozzles and won’t warp while cooling, so they don’t need a heated printer bed. They produce clean, string-free parts that capture the details of intricate designs. PLA should primarily be used to print prototypes, as it isn’t strong or heat resistant enough to create parts for repeated use. Unlike other materials, PLA filaments won’t produce toxic fumes while printing, so they don’t require ventilation. These filaments are for use in fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printers.

To ensure your part conducts electricity properly, use an electrical resistance tester, which measures surface resistivity. In general, the target surface resistivity for printed parts is 10¹ to 10⁶ ohms. To adjust, change the temperature of your printer’s extruder. As the extruder’s temperature increases, so will the printed part’s conductivity.

Maximum exposure temperature is the point at which a printed part will begin to deform. Above this temperature, your printed parts will start to lose structural integrity.

Build parts and prototypes from these filaments using Dremel fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printers. An RFID tag on the spool communicates with your printer, automatically adjusting it to the correct temperature and print speed for the filament material and notifying you when the filament is running out.

PLA filaments are the most commonly used in 3D printing. PLA is easy to use; it rarely clogs nozzles, doesn’t require a heated printer bed, and prints at a low temperature—meaning parts won’t warp while cooling. It produces string-free parts, so you can use it to print with a high level of detail. Less durable and more sensitive to heat than ECO-ABS, PLA is better for printing prototypes than end-use parts.

Tensile strength is the best measure of a filament's overall strength. Similar to the stress applied on a rope during a game of tug-of-war, it's the amount of pulling force a material can handle before breaking. A higher rating means a stronger filament. A tensile strength of 5,000 psi and above is considered good; 12,000 psi and above is excellent.

Maximum exposure temperature is the point at which a printed part will begin to deform. Above this temperature, your printed parts will start to lose structural integrity.

When 3D printing a model with overhangs or hollow spaces, use these filaments to prevent the model from losing its shape. They support the structure during the printing and cooling process, then dissolve or snap away once the part is hardened. Use them in dual-extrusion fused filament fabrication (FFF) printers alongside your primary filament. Unlike parts with supports printed from a single filament, there’s no cutting, sanding, or polishing required. Choose a filament that prints at a similar temperature as your primary filament so they cool at the same rate and won’t warp.

Parts made with break-away filaments are designed to cleanly snap off of primary parts with your hands while the print is still warm, taking only minutes to fully remove.

PLA filaments work with common filaments such as PLA and PETG.