3D printing materials for industry
Polymers, metals, resins and composites in 3D printing: what each one offers, where industry uses it and how to choose the right material for your part.
By Tesseract 3D MarketingPublished on 5 min readIn 30 seconds
- Polymers such as PLA, ABS, PETG and nylon are versatile and affordable.
- Photopolymer resins suit parts that need fine detail and a good surface finish.
- Choose by the load, the temperature and the tolerance the part has to cope with.
In this article
Materials have done more than anything else to spread 3D printing through industry. Being able to choose a more advanced material means parts that last longer and hold their dimensions better, which is what demanding markets ask for. For engineers, product developers, designers and business owners, knowing what each material does and where it fits is how you get the most out of the technology.
What to take away
- 3D printing uses a wide range of materials: polymers, metals, resins and composites.
- Each one has properties that suit it to particular industrial and design applications.
- Polymers are the most widely used, because they are versatile and relatively cheap.
- Metals are chosen for strength and durability, and are common in aerospace.
- New materials keep appearing, and each brings new options and new problems.
Polymers
Properties and advantages
Polymers are everywhere in 3D printing because they are versatile and affordable. They combine strength, flexibility and durability well, which makes them a good fit for a long list of applications. Many are light, and some come from renewable sources: PLA (polylactic acid) is made from corn starch or sugar cane. It is non-toxic and compostable, although only under industrial composting conditions, not in a garden heap.
Industrial uses
Polymers adapt to many sectors. The automotive industry uses them for light, strong parts, and the electronics industry for complex housings and components.
Common polymers
- PLA (polylactic acid): compostable and non-toxic, good for rapid prototyping and for parts that will not see high temperatures.
- ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene): known for toughness and durability, widely used for automotive parts and consumer products.
- Nylon (polyamide): high mechanical strength with some flexibility, a good choice for functional components and moving parts.
- PETG (polyethylene terephthalate glycol): prints almost as easily as PLA and lasts closer to ABS, used for parts that need chemical and mechanical resistance.
Metals
Metal printing opened a new chapter for additive manufacturing. Stainless steel, titanium and aluminium are now common for functional parts that need high precision and durability. The processes are known as selective laser melting (SLM) and direct metal laser sintering (DMLS). They make parts with geometry that would be impossible, or very expensive, to produce by traditional methods.
Not sure which material will survive the way your part is used?
Tell us where it will work and send the 3D file or photos. The technical analysis recommends a material and explains why.
Resins
Resins are liquid photopolymers that harden under light. They are used in stereolithography (SLA) and other processes that cure the resin with ultraviolet light. These are high-precision processes, suited to parts that need fine detail and a high-quality surface. The FDM or SLA guide compares resin printing with filament printing side by side.
Note. Metal printing and the advanced composites below are covered here as background, so you know what else exists. They are not processes Tesseract offers.
Composites
Composites are getting more attention in 3D printing because they combine the properties of different materials into a better product. They are formed by joining two or more distinct components, and the result has characteristics that neither has alone.
What a composite is
A composite brings together two or more different materials that, combined, give properties none of them could give separately. The mix can include polymers, metals, ceramics and other materials, which opens a wide range of options for printing.
Benefits
The main benefits of composites in 3D printing are high mechanical strength, low weight, corrosion resistance and design freedom. Together they make composites a strong candidate for parts that need high performance and a long life.
Where they are used
- Aerospace: light, strong aircraft parts.
- Automotive: durable, light vehicle components.
- Sport: high-performance sports equipment.
New materials
What is being developed
Materials research is moving fast. New materials aim at better heat resistance and lower production cost, among other properties.
What comes next
As materials keep improving, the list of things 3D printing can make keeps growing, and so does the number of ways engineers can design and build a part.
Challenges and opportunities
Problems remain. The sustainability and environmental impact of new materials still have to be dealt with. The same problems are also an opening for research into greener, more efficient materials.
How to choose a material
Choosing a material for 3D printing starts with its mechanical and thermal properties. Tensile strength, hardness and thermal stability decide whether a material suits an application. In aerospace, for example, tensile strength and thermal stability come first. For a part that will touch oils or cleaning agents, chemical resistance matters more.
Cost and availability count too. ABS, PLA, nylon and resins all behave differently during printing, and that changes the final cost of the project. ABS, for example, shrinks more than PLA, which affects the final dimensions. Those differences have to be checked against the tolerances the project needs.
Sustainability carries more weight every year. Biodegradable or recyclable materials reduce environmental impact, and the energy the printing process uses is worth considering too.
Conclusion
Materials have done more than anything else to spread 3D printing through industry. The range now runs from polymers and resins to metals and composites, and each widens what can be made and how efficiently. For engineers, product developers, designers and business owners, choosing the right material is what makes a 3D printing project work: the part does its job and lasts, and the process stays affordable and as sustainable as it can be. If you are unsure which one your part needs, request a quote and the technical analysis will recommend one.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main materials used in 3D printing?
Polymers, metals, resins and composites. Each has its own properties, which is why each suits different industrial applications.
What are the advantages of polymers in 3D printing?
They are light and durable, and between them they cover a wide range of mechanical and thermal properties. That is why they are used for prototypes as well as for end-use parts.
Which industries is metal 3D printing best suited to?
Mainly aerospace and automotive, where strength and durability justify the cost of the process.
What types of resin are used in 3D printing?
Several, including light-cured resins for DLP and SLA printers and flexible resins. Each has its own strengths and trade-offs.
What are composite materials in 3D printing?
Materials made by combining two or more different materials into a new one with better properties, such as higher strength or durability.
How do you choose the right material for 3D printing?
Weigh three things: function and performance, cost and availability, and sustainability and environmental impact.
