Top 7 Special Filaments Every 3d Printer Should Have

By Author: Aaliyah Choudhury
Total Articles: 10
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You can leverage 3D printing technologies to convert three-dimensional models into physical three-dimensional objects. But you make the 3D-printed object meet your goals and requirements precisely only by combining the right 3D printing technology with the right filament. As thermoplastics, filaments act as the source material in the 3D printing process.

You have the option to choose from a wide range of conventional and special 3D printing filaments according to the nature and needs of your project. But you must remember that some of these filaments are more complex than others. Also, each of these conventional and special 3D printing filaments has its pros and cons. Hence, you should keep in mind your precise project needs while comparing the special 3D printing filaments.

7 Special 3D Printing Filaments to Produce Standout Three-Dimensional Objects

Metal Composite Filament/Metal-Filled Filament

As the name suggests, you can opt for this special 3D printing filament to produce three-dimensional objects in metallic color. The metal composite filament or metal-filled filament is sourced by combining ...
... Polyastic Acid (PLA) with metal powder ranging from 40% to 60%. You also have the option to choose a metal composite filament containing a variety of metals – gold, silver, copper, bronze, iron, and bass. But you must remember that metal-filled filaments are heavier and more expensive than conventional plastic filaments.

Wood Filament

You can use this special filament to produce objects with the aesthetics of real wood. Wood filament is produced by combining PLA with various powdered wood derivatives, including wood dust and cork. Hence, this filament contains about 15% of wood particles. The wood particles make this filament softer than other composite 3D printing materials. But you can leverage wood filament only using a 3D printer with specific specifications. Also, the final color of the 3D-printed item may vary according to extruder temperature.

Luminous Filament

Luminous filament enables you to create home decors, caution signs, artifacts, and gift items that glow in the dark. You can 3D-print items using this special filament just like other standard filaments. You also have the option to choose from several variants of luminous filament, including PLA and ABS. The luminous filament is produced using aluminum sulfate, zinc sulfate, or strontium aluminate as a key component. The component absorbs UV light and makes the product glow by reemitting the UV light in the form of visible light in the dark.

Multicolor Filament

Many engineers still 3D-print multicolor items in a conventional way using the pause-and-swap method. But you can leverage multicolor filaments to eliminate the need to pause the printer in the middle of the 3D printing process. Many companies these days produce multicolor filaments or rainbow filaments by creating a spool consisting of four to five colors. You can use the special filament to produce appealing multicolor home decors and gift items using an FDM 3D printer or SLA 3D printer. You can make the 3D-printed items more appealing using multicolor filaments instead of standard filaments.

Color-Changing Filament

Unlike multicolor filament, color-changing filament enables you to produce three-dimensional items whose color changes according to the prevailing temperature. Companies produce this special filament by transforming standard 3D printing materials like PLA and ABS by applying the thermochromism principle. At present, color-changing filaments are used widely for 3D printing a wide variety of items – toys, home decors, artifacts, tableware, and temperature indicators. You can easily impress your guests by 3D-printing many domestic accessories using the safe-to-touch and food-safe material.

Carbon Fiber Filament

In a short period, carbon fiber filament has gained popularity with enterprises from several sectors – aerospace, automotive, and military. Engineers these days opt for this new-age 3D printing material to produce parts and products that leverage the key characteristics of carbon fiber – strong, durable, stiff, and heat-resistance. You should opt for this composite filament only when you have a high-end 3D printer with fiber-cutting systems and specialized nozzles. But you can produce futuristic 3D-printed objects using the 3D printing filament that is both lightweight and inexpensive.

Recycled Filament

You can showcase your passion for saving the planet and reducing the plastic footprint by opting for recycled 3D printing filaments. The recycled filaments are produced and can be used just like conventional filaments. But recycled filaments are produced from materials sourced from plastic bottles and scrap. You have the option to choose from a variety of recycled filaments, including Polyastic Acid (PLA) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). But you must remember that the recycled 3D printing filaments are sourced with varying percentages of recycled plastic.

You can make the 3D-printed object stand out from the crowd by opting for a slew of special 3D printing filaments. But you must remember that the special filaments, like conventional filaments, differ from each other in many aspects. Also, you must not ignore widely used 3D printing materials while opting for these special 3D printing filaments. That is why; you must compare these special 3D printing filaments based on the precise needs of individual 3D printing projects.
About Aurum3D

We are amongst the major 3D printing service providers in Bangalore, India. We have been providing CAD modeling services, rapid prototyping services, and custom 3D Printing services to many major industries. Please feel free to get in touch with us for your custom needs, our 3D printing solutions experts will get back to you within one business day.

Author Info

Aaliyah Choudhury passionately believes in boosting the popularity and adaption of cutting-edge technologies like 3D printing. She has been making it easier for individuals and enterprises to leverage 3D printing technologies fully by writing insightful articles and blogs. https://www.aurum3d.com/3d-printing-services/