ABS + - strong, flexible and resistant

ABS + filament (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) is a plastic used for various everyday products, including Lego cubes. It is a strong, harmless, and flexible material that holds the paint well, is also easy to shape and difficult to break. In addition to its water resistance, the filament is also chemically resistant. Due to these properties, it is one of the most frequently selected filaments in 3D printing. However, it is used for professional use and for the production of prototypes that must withstand high temperatures (eg phone cases, ...). The filament is soluble at 220 ° C. ABS filament finished products are durable and impact resistant. The downside of this technical filament is the unpleasant odor and evaporation of any harmful chemicals during printing, so good ventilation must be provided. The biggest pest of ABS material is UV radiation, so 3D products are not suitable for long-term outdoor use. See our offer of AzureFilm ABS + filaments in different colors here.

Advantages of ABS +:

• strong and solid material
• harmless material
• waterproof

Weaknesses of ABS +:

• unpleasant odor
• evaporation of harmful chemicals
• sensitive to UV light

ASA - for products that have to cope with many factors

ASA (Acrylonitrile styrene acrylate) is mechanically similar to ABS material. ASA filament products are strong, flexible, and resistant to UV light, water, and chemical reactions. This is why it is used for professional use and for products for outdoor use, which must withstand different weather conditions and temperature differences. The finished products are durable, with a treated appearance, antistatic, resistant to damage and impact, and do not change color. The disadvantage of ASA filament is that potentially harmful gases are emitted during printing. The great advantage of this filament is that it is suitable for open 3D printers. Compared to other materials, ASA technical filaments are slightly more expensive and consume more energy. They are used in the automotive industry, furniture industry, for the production of sports equipment, ... See our offer of AzureFilm ASA filaments here.

Advantages of ASA:

• resistant to UV light
• waterproof
• strong and durable material
• with a well-treated surface
• also suitable for open 3D printers

Weaknesses of ASA:

• release harmful gases
• more expensive filaments
• high extruder temperature
• requires a lot of energy

Carbon Fiber - a solid material with a matte finish

Carbon filaments are composite materials that are formed by casting carbon fiber particles into a polymer base, which can be made of different materials (in our case PET and PAHT). While true carbon materials have long continuous strands of carbon fiber that improve their mechanical resistance, carbon filaments for 3D printing have short fibers that still improve the strength of the finished products. These technical filaments are suitable for printing products that need strength, and good dimensional stability. The finished products are light and have a finished surface. PET Carbon Fiber filament is a material that is extremely easy to print on and has excellent mechanical properties. It does not bend, allows high strength of the Z-layer, is temperature resistant up to 125 ° C, and is waterproof. PAHT Carbon Fiber Filament is a high-performance, high-temperature polyamide-based material used for the industrial printing of durable and long-lasting products. See the offer of AzureFilm Carbon fiber filaments here.

Advantages of Carbon Fiber:

• extremely strong finished products
• light finished products
• finished area
• resistant to higher temperatures

Weaknesses of Carbon Fiber:

• the possibility of clogging the nozzles when printing
• abrasive filament that wears nozzles and requires special hardware

Nylon - strong and affordable technical filaments

Although the use of Nylon in 3D printing is a relatively new matter, this one is becoming more and more popular to use. It is a strong material that has a very high tensile strength, which allows it to withstand high loads and is resistant to damage. Due to its wide use in other industries, it is an affordable material that does not contain harmful chemicals. 3D printing is considered an advanced material, as printing with it requires some knowledge and experience and specialized equipment. It requires high temperatures for processing, as it is soluble at 250 ° C, which is a higher temperature than many extruders can withstand. It can be used with FDM and SLS printers. Technical filament is great for printing products that are exposed to high temperatures and water, e.g. containers, water pipes and fittings. By printing on a sufficiently thin layer, the flexibility of the material can also be achieved, despite the still exceptional durability. AzureFilm Nylon is an industrial nylon thread PA-12, which has excellent chemical, mechanical and flexible properties.

Advantages of nylon:

• high impact strength
• low moisture absorption
• the filament can be melted and reused without loss of properties
• affordable technical filament

 Weaknesses of nylon:

• requires a high temperature to melt the filament