Material Guide
3D Printing Materials Guide: PLA, PETG, ABS and TPU
Material choice affects strength, heat resistance, flexibility, surface finish and price. These notes help you choose a sensible starting point before requesting a quote.
PLA
Display items, organisers, prototypes and low-stress indoor parts.
Good detail and colour choice, but not ideal for hot cars or high-load parts.
PETG
Stronger everyday brackets, clips, mounts and parts that need more toughness.
A practical default for many functional prints with better heat and impact resistance than PLA.
ABS
Parts needing better heat resistance or post-processing options.
Useful for warmer environments, but geometry and finish requirements matter.
ASA
Outdoor parts, garden fittings and anything behind a windscreen.
Behaves much like ABS, but resists the fading and brittleness that sunlight causes over time.
TPU
Flexible bumpers, grips, feet, soft covers and vibration-damping pieces.
Best when the part needs to bend or absorb impact.
Nylon/PA
Tougher functional parts, wear surfaces and black utility parts.
Good durability, usually quoted for parts where PLA or PETG may not be enough.
PP
Living hinges, snap-fit lids, clips and parts that meet oils or cleaning chemicals.
Light and tough, and it flexes again and again without cracking. Printed in black only.
Carbon or glass filled
Stiffer premium parts where flex should be reduced.
Higher-cost materials for strength and stiffness, used when the job justifies it.
Common comparisons
PLA vs PETG vs TPU
Best detail, better toughness, or flexible.
| PLA | PETG | TPU | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel | Stiff, holds its shape | Rigid, holds its shape | Soft and rubbery, springs back |
| Detail | Crispest | Very good, slightly glossy | Good, softer edges |
| Impact | Can snap | Bends a little before it breaks | Absorbs it, almost unbreakable |
| Heat | Typically softens around 55 °C | Typically fine up to 75 °C | Fine in warm rooms, not near heat |
| Outdoors | Indoors only | Light outdoor use | Light outdoor use |
| Colours | Widest range (Basic, Matte, Silk) | Good range | Black, red and blue |
| Best for | Display pieces, models, organisers, gifts | Brackets, clips, mounts, replacement parts | Bumpers, feet, gaskets, cases, dampers |
PETG vs TPU: if the part should spring back when you squeeze it, it’s TPU. If it should stay put, it’s PETG.
ABS vs ASA
Indoor heat, or outdoor sun.
| ABS | ASA | |
|---|---|---|
| Heat | Typically fine up to 95 °C | Typically fine up to 95 °C |
| Sunlight | Fades and goes brittle | UV resistant, keeps its colour |
| Toughness | Tough | Just as tough |
| Best for | Appliance parts, workshop fittings, electronics housings | Garden fittings, exterior mounts, outdoor parts |
Quick selection rules
- Use PLA or PLA+ for indoor display items and simple accessories.
- Use PETG for many practical replacement parts and tougher everyday prints.
- Ask about ABS, nylon or reinforced materials for heat, wear or stiffness.
- Ask about ASA for parts that live outdoors or behind a windscreen.
- Use TPU when the part needs to flex, grip or absorb impact.
- Ask about PP (black only) for living hinges, snap-fit lids or parts exposed to chemicals.