Which 3D printing material should you choose?
Most print problems start with the wrong material, not the wrong printer. Pick by the load, temperature and environment the part will live in.
PLA
- Best for
- Prototypes, models, indoor parts, figurines
- Heat resistance
- Low — softens around 55-60 °C
- Typical tolerance
- ±0.2 mm
- Watch out for
- Deforms in a hot car or direct sun. Brittle under repeated flexing.
PETG
- Best for
- Functional parts, brackets, enclosures, water-resistant items
- Heat resistance
- Medium — around 75 °C
- Typical tolerance
- ±0.3 mm
- Watch out for
- Stringing is common; overhangs and fine text print less crisply than PLA.
ABS
- Best for
- Tough enclosures, automotive interior parts, parts to be glued or vapour smoothed
- Heat resistance
- High — around 95 °C
- Typical tolerance
- ±0.3 mm, more on large parts
- Watch out for
- Warps and shrinks. Needs an enclosed printer and ventilation.
ASA
- Best for
- Outdoor parts, UV exposure, mounts on buildings and vehicles
- Heat resistance
- High — around 100 °C
- Typical tolerance
- ±0.3 mm
- Watch out for
- Same warping as ABS, but far better UV stability.
TPU (flexible)
- Best for
- Gaskets, bumpers, straps, phone cases, vibration damping
- Heat resistance
- Medium — around 70 °C
- Typical tolerance
- ±0.4 mm, springs back after measuring
- Watch out for
- Slow to print. Specify shore hardness (for example 95A) in the job.
Nylon (PA, PA-CF)
- Best for
- Gears, living hinges, high-wear mechanical parts
- Heat resistance
- High — 100 °C and above
- Typical tolerance
- ±0.3 mm, moisture sensitive
- Watch out for
- Absorbs humidity; needs dried filament. Fewer printers can run it.
State a tolerance, not a feeling
FDM printing is not machining. A realistic hobby-grade tolerance is ±0.3 mm; ±0.15 mm is achievable on a well calibrated machine for small parts. If a hole or shaft has to fit, name the dimension and the tolerance in the job so it can be measured and photographed instead of argued about.
Tolerances per technology
Pick a tolerance your technology can actually hold. These are the typical ranges printers on PrintBid3D work with.
| Technology | Typical tolerance | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| SLA / MSLA (resin) | ±0.05–0.1 mm | Liquid resin cured with light gives extremely high precision and sharp detail, with no nozzle dynamics. |
| FDM / FFF (filament) | ±0.1–0.2 mm | Achievable, but requires calibration. Well-tuned modern machines (Bambu Lab, Prusa, Voron) reach ±0.1 mm on small parts in X/Y. |
| SLS (laser / powder) | ±0.1–0.3 mm | High-end industrial technology. Precision is mainly affected by thermal shrinkage as the material cools. |
Not sure? Describe the part instead
Post the job with what the part must do, and printers who own the right machine will suggest a material in their bid.