Which Materials Can Be Snapmaker 3D Printed?

Snapmaker is a 3D printer that has the potential to change the way you create. Not all 3D printers have come up with the same ideas or use technology that is great for the designer and their creation. This is where Snapmaker stands out and gives you all the benefits you need to succeed in your creative line of work. But which materials can you print with Snapmaker? Read on to find out.

How Does a 3D Printer Work?

3D printing is a process of making three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The digital file can be created with a 3D modeling program or a 3D scanner.

The 3D printer reads the file and then builds the object layer by layer. This is done by extruding heated plastic, metal, or other materials through a nozzle onto a build platform.

The nozzle moves around the platform as needed to create each layer of material. The build platform moves up as new layers are added until the object is complete.

Which Materials Can Be Snapmaker 3D Printed?

Snapmaker is a 3D printer that can print with multiple materials. The dual-extruder is one of the most vital parts of a 3d printer that supports two different filaments at the same time. Snapmaker supports a wide selection of materials. Below are some of the available materials.

PLA Filament (Color)

PLA is a biodegradable thermoplastic. It's made from renewable resources like cornstarch, tapioca roots, and sugarcane. This means that PLA is safe for printing because it does not emit noxious fumes when it melts.

PLA can be easily sanded and glued to create smooth surfaces for your print job. The final product will not have any odor unless you leave it somewhere with too much moisture in the air (like your bathroom).

ABS Filament (Color)

ABS is one of the most common materials used in 3D printing. It has a high melting temperature, which means it can be printed on any type of printer without fear of warping or cracking. ABS is a strong and durable material that’s ideal for printing mechanical parts such as gears and cams. It also works well with filaments such as FDW, which give the print an added level of detail.

ABS is also very easy to print with! It has a low friction coefficient, so designs with lots of sliding parts tend to work particularly well with ABS filament.

TPU Filament

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is a flexible and durable material that has been used in the medical, automotive and consumer electronics industries for many years. TPU is easy to use and can be 3D printed using an extruder-style printer like Snapmaker.

TPU is very common in 3D printing because it prints well and is strong enough to be used as a mechanical part while being soft enough to feel comfortable on your skin. It’s perfect for creating flexible 3d printer parts like phone cases or grips on tools like screwdrivers or pens. You could even use TPU to print yourself a nice comfy pillow.

PVA

One of the most popular materials for 3D printing is PVA. This material is water soluble and can be used to print models that are easily cleanable with water. It's also very easy to use, making it a great choice for beginners who want to get their feet wet with 3D printing without diving straight into complicated materials like ABS or PLA.

The biggest drawback of using PVA is its relatively low strength compared to other materials like ABS and PETG. However, it does have one distinct advantage — high impact resistance. While not as strong as some other plastics, PVC can withstand greater impacts than other plastics without breaking apart at all.

PETG

PETG is a good material for printing models that need to be durable and flexible. This is because it’s a thermoplastic polyester, which means it has the properties of both polymers and elastomers.

It’s heat resistant and can handle temperatures up to 170 degrees Celsius (338 degrees Fahrenheit). It also stays flexible when cooled, making it ideal for projects like phone cases or cups that should still be sturdy but not so rigid that they crack when you put them down on a table.

Nylon

Nylon is a synthetic polymer material that's used in many different industries. It's used in medical devices, sports equipment, and countless other products. If you've ever seen something made from nylon—a car part, a backpack strap, or even a pair of glasses—it was probably 3D printed using this material.

Nylon has many properties that make it ideal for 3D printing — high strength and durability, flexibility on both sides of the filament (2 directions), low friction coefficient (for less wear when moving parts), and excellent chemical resistance.

What Influences the Choice of Material?

The materials you can use for 3D printing are almost endless. This is great news for designers, artists, and hobbyists who want to print custom objects for their projects. The materials you choose will depend on what you're making and how much effort you want to put into the process.

Four main factors affect the choice of material:

• Cost: ABS and PLA are generally less expensive than other materials, while some metals and composites can be costly. The cost of printing with these materials depends on the vendor and their own pricing policies.
• Strength: Stronger materials can hold up better under pressure but can also be more expensive and challenging to work with.
• Flexibility: Flexible materials allow your object to move more easily, but they may not be strong enough for certain uses, like holding up an object.
• Durability: Durable materials are great if they need to last a long time, such as when building something that needs to withstand wear and tear.
• Quality – The quality of your prints depends on how fine the details are in each layer. Fine details are possible with more expensive printers that use more accurate lasers to draw them onto the plastic layer beneath. However, you can achieve good quality with cheaper printers by using smaller nozzle sizes and increasing the number of perimeters (lines around each layer).

Final Thoughts

Whether you want to print personalized gifts, home decorations, prototypes, or sculptural artwork, the Snapmaker 3D printer got you covered. Elevate your creativity with any of the materials reviewed above.