When 3D printing a model with overhangs or hollow spaces, use these filaments to prevent the model from losing its shape. They support the structure during the printing and cooling process, then dissolve or snap away once the part is hardened. Use them in dual-extrusion fused filament fabrication (FFF) printers alongside your primary filament. Unlike parts with supports printed from a single filament, there’s no cutting, sanding, or polishing required.

Choose a filament that has similar printing requirements as your primary filament. You will want to choose a support filament that prints at a similar temperature as your primary filament and has the same requirements for a heated build chamber, so they cool at the same rate and won’t warp. Aquasys 120 filaments are compatible with the widest variety of filament materials, but they require a heated build chamber.

You should also consider how you will remove the structural support filament from your finished part. Soluble filaments are well suited to print parts with complex or fragile designs as they gently dissolve off your primary part, leaving a smooth finish. Water-soluble filaments dissolve in a heated bath.

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.

Nylon resists scratches and wear, and is often used to create parts that encounter constant friction such as gears or bearings. Nylon parts also won’t crack or shatter when they’re drilled or tapped. Exposure to humidity makes these filaments brittle and unusable, so they need to be stored in a sealed container with a desiccant. Like ECO-ABS, parts can warp during cooling and need a heated printer bed. Make sure your printer is connected to a ventilation system, as nylon emits fumes during printing.

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.

Produce intricate parts with these plastic powders—they don’t require support materials and have more uniform mechanical properties than filaments and resins. Use them with powder bed fusion (PBF) printing systems, such as selective laser sintering (SLS).

Nylon powders create long-lasting parts that resist wear and won't scratch from constant motion and friction. They resist UV light, so parts made from these powders are good for use outdoors. They also have good chemical resistance. Parts printed with these powders meet UL 94 HB, a strict standard for flammability.

With a low coefficient of friction, these pellets won't wear away from abrasion that’s often caused by contact with moving parts. Melt and mold them into desired shapes. All of these pellets are made from virgin resins and are compatible with various types of molding equipment, such as injection molders or 3D printers. They handle high temperatures without losing their mechanical properties.

Nylon pellets have good wear resistance, as well as chemical resistance against fuels and hydrocarbons. They will expand and contract when exposed to moisture and temperature changes.