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 has similar printing requirements as your primary filament. You will want to choose a support filament that prints at a similar temperature as your primary filament and has the same requirements for a heated build chamber, so they cool at the same rate and won’t warp. Aquasys GP filaments are good at supporting heat-sensitive materials, such as PLA and PET, because they print well at lower temperatures and don’t need a heated build chamber.

You should also consider how you will remove the structural support filament from your finished part. Soluble filaments are well suited to print parts with complex or fragile designs as they gently dissolve off your primary part, leaving a smooth finish. Water-soluble filaments dissolve in a heated bath.

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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.

PETG is more moisture resistant than ECO-ABS, making it a great choice for printing parts for use in humid or wet environments. Generally, PETG’s other properties fall somewhere between those of PLA and ECO-ABS. It’s more flexible and durable than PLA, but less so than ECO-ABS. It’s harder to print than PLA because it requires a heated printer bed, but easier to print than ECO-ABS. PETG filaments should be kept in a sealed container with a desiccant.

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.

Often used to make parts that will be used near ovens, engines, and other hot machinery, these PEI filaments remain strong and rigid in temperatures that would soften most plastic. They’re a lightweight alternative to machined metal parts. Print these filaments on a fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printer. Because of their high melting points, you'll need an all-metal extruder and heated printer bed to reach their minimum printing temperature. Without the heated printer bed, parts will cool too quickly and warp.

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.

Sterilize your printed parts without them expanding, deforming, or weakening. These PSU filaments resist steam and heat, so you can sterilize parts in an autoclave. They also can be sterilized with ethylene oxide, radiation, plasma, dry heat, and cold sterilization methods. Print these filaments on a fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printer. Because of their high melting points, you'll need an all-metal extruder and heated printer bed to reach their minimum printing temperature. Without the heated printer bed, parts will cool too quickly and warp.

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.