A Comprehensive Comparison of Common 3D Printing Filaments

As 3D printing continues to grow across both hobbyist and industrial spaces in Australia, one thing remains constant: choosing the right filament makes all the difference. The material you print with affects not only how your model looks but also how strong, flexible, and durable it will be once complete.

With so many options available, it can be hard to know which filament best fits your project. Below, we break down the most popular 3D printing filaments, their key strengths and weaknesses, and what each is best suited for.

1. PLA (Polylactic Acid) - Best for Everyday Printing

PLA is the most widely used 3D printing filament in the world, and for good reason. It's easy to print, affordable, and ideal for beginners. Made from renewable resources like corn starch, it's also biodegradable, making it an environmentally conscious choice.

Strengths:

• Low printing temperature and minimal warping

• Ease of use

• Excellent surface finish and dimensional accuracy

• Available in a vast range of colours and finishes (Matte, Gradient, Glitter, and Silk)

• Eco-friendly/biodegradable

Weaknesses:

• Lower heat and impact resistance compared to other materials

• Can become brittle in high-stress or outdoor conditions

• Poor durability when exposed to UV light and moisture

• High permeability, which can be an issue for food packaging, as it may lead to faster spoilage

Recommended For: Decorative models, prototypes, educational projects, and hobbyist designs.

2. PLA+ – For Enhanced Everyday Durability

PLA+ builds on everything makers love about PLA, adding extra strength, durability, heat resistance, flexibility, and surface refinement by incorporating modifiers into the base formula. It's a reliable, versatile material for functional prints that still need that smooth, professional look. This versatility can inspire you to try more complex or durable projects without worry.

Strengths:

• Stronger and less brittle than standard PLA

• Improved heat tolerance

• Better layer adhesion and impact resistance

• For specific models or parts that require more mechanical strength 

• Retains easy printability with fewer print issues

• Less moisture sensitive

Weaknesses:

• Higher cost in comparison to standard PLA

• It may be more challenging to print compared to PLA, as it can take a few trial runs/tweaking your print setup.

• Not as strong as competing engineer grade filaments 

• Proprietary additives: the exact composition of PLA+ can vary between brands, as manufacturers can choose different additives to achieve the desired properties without a standardised formula.

Recommended For: High-detail models, durable prototypes, or everyday prints that need more toughness without switching to engineering-grade materials.

3. PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol) – Best for Functional Parts

PETG is a strong, durable, and chemically resistant thermoplastic polyester widely used in 3d printing and manufacturing. It offers a balanced mix of flexibility, strength, and chemical resistance. It is a modified PET (the plastic used in water bottles) mixed with glycol, which makes it more transparent, less brittle, and easier to print with, while maintaining its strength and flexibility. It prints with similar ease to PLA but performs more like ABS, making it perfect for practical, load-bearing parts.

Strengths:

• Excellent layer bonding and dimensional stability

• Minimal warping, it has low warping, especially when compared to filaments such as ABS

• Can be printed on an open printer

• High impact and UV resistance

• Resistant to moisture, chemicals, and wear

• Odourless printing is mostly odourless while printing, and is considered safe in smaller areas 

• Good for functional parts 

Weaknesses:

• Can be prone to stringing if not properly tuned

• PETG is prone to stringing, which is when thin strands of plastic are left between printed parts.

• Absorbs humidity, requiring dry storage

• It is not ideal for support structures, as supports are difficult to remove and could damage your print.

• Hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture from the air, so it needs to be dried entirely before printing to avoid poor print quality.

• It has a high viscosity, meaning it melts slowly, which can be problematic for high-speed printing.

• Nozzle and heater block backup, as it can stick excessively to the nozzle and heater block.

Recommended For: Mechanical parts, enclosures, brackets, and outdoor applications.

4. ABS+ (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) – For High-Strength Industrial Prints

ABS+  (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) is a standard plastic made from three different monomers: acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene. It is a professional grade material used when strength and temperature resistance matter most. It improves on traditional ABS, reducing warping and enhancing print stability, producing reliable results under any conditions. Its versatility makes it an excellent option for mechanical, industrial, or functional applications.

Strengths:

• High mechanical strength and impact resistance make it an excellent choice for parts and prototypes.

• It exhibits resistance to a variety of chemicals, acids and alkalis

• Withstands elevated temperatures

• Can be post-processed with acetone for a glossy finish

Weaknesses:

• Emits fumes during printing; proper ventilation or an enclosed printer is recommended to ensure safety, especially when working with materials like ABS+ and ASA, which can produce potentially harmful fumes.

• ABS, ABS+ is generally not highly resistant to UV and can become brittle and discoloured over time when exposed to sunlight for extended periods

Recommended For: Automotive components, fixtures, tools, and functional prototypes requiring durability and heat tolerance.

5. ASA (Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate) – Best for Outdoor Durability

ASA is often considered the "weatherproof" version of ABS. It shares the same mechanical toughness but adds UV, water, and heat resistance, making it an excellent choice for exterior parts. ASA is quite similar to ABS but offers improved toughness, strength, and dimensional stability, making it a popular choice for applications such as automotive components, prototypes, and outdoor fixtures.

Strengths:

• UV and weather resistant for longevity in outdoor use

• Often has a satin finish

• Excellent dimensional accuracy and layer adhesion

• Resists fading and cracking under sunlight

• Resistance to a variety of chemicals 

• Impact resistant, strong, rigid

Weaknesses:

• Similar print requirements to ABS (enclosure preferred), as it emits noticeable and potentially harmful fumes during printing

• It is a more challenging filament to print with, especially for beginners in 3D printing.

• Can become quite brittle

• It requires tight control over print settings, as it is prone to warping.

Recommended For: Outdoor fixtures, signage, automotive trims, and mechanical housings.

6. Nylon (PA) – Best for Tough, Flexible Applications

Nylon 3D filament is a strong, durable thermoplastic polymer, polyamide (PA), used for FDM 3D printing. It is highly valued for its mechanical properties, including high impact resistance, flexibility, and abrasion resistance, making it ideal for functional parts such as gears, jigs, and final application components. Because nylon is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture), it requires careful storage and specific printing conditions, including high temperatures and a heated, enclosed build chamber.

Strengths:

• Outstanding impact and wear resistance

• Chemically and abrasion resistant, offering protection against some oils, alkalis, and various chemicals, its low friction and high abrasion make it an excellent choice for wear-resistant parts. 

• Naturally flexible without sacrificing strength

• UV resistance: It is more UV-resistant than PLA or ABS.

• Smooth surface finish with high durability

Weaknesses:

• Hygroscopic - Highly moisture-sensitive (must be dried before printing)

• Requires high heat and often an enclosed printer

• Warping: It tends to warp during printing, requiring careful attention to bed adhesion and a heated build plate.

• Medium printing difficulty: It is more challenging to print with than materials like PLA, requiring higher temperatures and proper handling to avoid issues.

Recommended For: Gears, hinges, bushings, and functional assemblies requiring both flexibility and strength.

7. Polycarbonate (PC) – For Extreme Strength and Heat Resistance

Polycarbonate is one of the most robust and temperature resistant thermoplastics used in 3D printing. It's designed for professional applications that demand serious durability, being utilised in industries like automotive and aerospace for applications such as brackets, housing, and tooling.

Strengths:

• Extreme Strength and Durability: PC is one of the strongest filaments available, able to withstand heavy loads, stress, and vibrations. It's used for parts that need to be very tough, like helmets and mechanical components.

• High Heat Resistance: It maintains its shape and properties at high temperatures, making it suitable for applications in hot environments, such as under the hood of a car.

• Impact Resistance: PC excels at absorbing shock, which is a key reason for its use in safety gear and other impact-prone applications.

• Transparency: Clear PC filament is naturally transparent or translucent, making it useful for light covers, lenses, and visual prototypes.

• Dimensional Stability: PC parts are less prone to deformation, which is essential for precision components. 

Weaknesses:

• Hygroscopic Nature: It readily absorbs moisture from the air, which can cause printing defects. It must be thoroughly dried before and during printing.

• High Printing Temperatures: PC requires very high nozzle and bed temperatures for printing, often needing specialised, high-temperature hardware.

• Prone to Warping: The significant temperature difference between the print and the surrounding air can cause considerable warping. An enclosed printer is essential to mitigate this issue.

• Oozing and Stringing: PC can ooze more than other filaments, and careful tuning of retraction settings is necessary.

• Slow Print Speeds: To ensure proper layer adhesion and reduce warping, keep print speeds low, often no higher than 30 mm per second.

Recommended For: Engineering components, protective gear, and high-performance functional prototypes.

8. TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) – Best for Flexible Prints

TPU introduces flexibility into 3D printing. It's perfect for models that need to bend, stretch, or absorb impact while maintaining shape integrity. It is also known for its high resistance to abrasion, oils and other environmental factors, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, including phone cases, tyres, gaskets, footwear and prosthetics.

Strengths:

• Exceptional Flexibility and Elasticity: TPU parts can be stretched, bent, and compressed significantly without breaking and will return to their original shape, making them suitable for functional, dynamic applications.

• High Durability and Impact Resistance: It is highly resistant to wear, tear, and impact, providing excellent shock absorption and a long lifespan for printed parts.

• Excellent Layer Adhesion: TPU offers superior layer bonding, often resulting in prints with high overall strength and preventing delamination issues common with other materials.

• Chemical and Environmental Resistance: It resists exposure to oils, greases, many solvents, and various weather conditions, making it suitable for automotive, industrial, and medical applications.

• Good Performance at Low Temperatures: TPU maintains its flexibility and mechanical properties in cold environments where other plastics might become brittle.

Weaknesses:

• Requires slower print speeds and fine-tuned settings

• Moisture sensitivity TPU is highly hygroscopic.

• Can clog in direct-drive extruders if not managed carefully

• Difficult to post-process, the materials' abrasion and chemical resistance make sanding, painting or gluing printed parts difficult.

• Not suitable for rigid [arts, due to its inherent flexibility, it cannot be used for applications requiring high rigidity, stiffness or tight dimensional accuracy

Recommended For: Phone cases, gaskets, vibration dampeners, protective covers, and wearables.

9. PVA & HIPS – For Support Materials

Both PVA (water-soluble) and HIPS (limonene-soluble or acetone) serve as excellent support filaments for dual-extrusion printing. They dissolve away cleanly, allowing for complex geometries.

PVA Strengths:

• Fully dissolves in water

• Enables intricate internal structures and overhangs

• Support material for other filaments, especially PLA
  

HIPS Strengths:

• Strong, lightweight, and dissolves in limonene

• Paintable and ability to be sanded for smooth finishes

• Support material for filaments, especially ABS

Recommended For: Dual-material prints, precision prototypes, and complex multi-part assemblies.

10. Specialty Filaments – For Creativity and Aesthetic Appeal

For makers looking to add flair or function beyond standard materials, specialty filaments bring personality and unique finishes to any project.

Options Include:

• Silk PLA: Glossy and reflective finish for decorative prints

• Wood PLA: Natural appearance with real wood fibres

• Carbon Fibre PLA: Rigid, lightweight, and matte-textured

• Metal-Filled PLA: Adds metallic weight and sheen

• Glow-in-the-Dark & Transparent PLA: Perfect for novelty or design applications

Final Thoughts

Whether you're printing a prototype, a decorative model, or a functional tool, the material you choose defines your print's success.

• PLA+ & PLA make printing easy and consistent for beginners.

• PETG bridges practicality and strength for everyday functional use.

• ABS+ & ASA deliver performance for industrial or outdoor environments.

• Nylon, PC, and TPU expand possibilities for flexible, impact-resistant, or load-bearing designs.

With the continued rise of desktop and professional 3D printing in Australia, it's never been easier to find the right material for your project.