Often used to monitor UV exposure and test UV curing and sterilization equipment, parts made from these filaments change color when exposed to the sun or UV lights. Made from PLA, the most commonly used 3D printing material, they make detailed parts at a low melting point. As a result, they rarely clog nozzles, won’t warp as they cool, and don’t require a heated printer bed. They’re also unlikely to drip and produce plastic strings for a clean finished part. Print them on a fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printer.

Tensile strength is the best measure of a filament’s overall strength. Similar to the stress applied on a rope during a game of tug-of-war, it’s the amount of pulling force a material can handle before breaking. A higher rating means a stronger filament. A tensile strength of 5,000 psi and above is considered good; 12,000 psi and above is excellent.

Maximum exposure temperature is the point at which a printed part will begin to deform. Above this temperature, your part will start to lose structural integrity.

Print temperature-indicating parts—these filaments transition between colors as their temperature changes. Made of PLA, these filaments are the most commonly used 3D printing material because they make detailed parts at a low melting point and rarely clog nozzles. They won’t warp as they cool and don’t require a heated printer bed. They’re unlikely to drip and produce plastic strings for a clean finished part. Print them on a fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printer.

Tensile strength is the best measure of a filament’s overall strength. Similar to the stress applied on a rope during a game of tug-of-war, it’s the amount of pulling force a material can handle before breaking. A higher rating means a stronger filament. A tensile strength of 5,000 psi and above is considered good; 12,000 psi and above is excellent.

Maximum exposure temperature is the point at which a printed part will begin to deform. Above this temperature, your part will start to lose structural integrity.

Build parts and prototypes from these filaments using Dremel fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printers. An RFID tag on the spool communicates with your printer, automatically adjusting it to the correct temperature and print speed for the filament material and notifying you when the filament is running out.

PLA filaments are the most commonly used in 3D printing. PLA is easy to use; it rarely clogs nozzles, doesn’t require a heated printer bed, and prints at a low temperature—meaning parts won’t warp while cooling. It produces string-free parts, so you can use it to print with a high level of detail. Less durable and more sensitive to heat than ECO-ABS, PLA is better for printing prototypes than end-use parts.

Tensile strength is the best measure of a filament's overall strength. Similar to the stress applied on a rope during a game of tug-of-war, it's the amount of pulling force a material can handle before breaking. A higher rating means a stronger filament. A tensile strength of 5,000 psi and above is considered good; 12,000 psi and above is excellent.

Maximum exposure temperature is the point at which a printed part will begin to deform. Above this temperature, your printed parts will start to lose structural integrity.