Materials Archives | re:3D | Life-Sized Affordable 3D Printing

Specialty Pellets & Flake

Specialty 3D printing Pellets and flake materials

Specialty pellets and flake are unique materials created for specific use cases. Sometimes, common materials like PLA or ABS cannot meet the demands of a specific application and a dedicated material is needed. Specialty materials have been created for casting, smooth surface finishes, flexible parts, high clarity, and improved material strength. Due to the wide range of different applications, specialty materials are not easily classified into other common material categories. The chemical makeup of specialty materials is diverse as well, making each specialty material truly special. If you have a very specific demand for a material, there may be a specialty material to help you out!

Applications for specialty pellets and flake are almost entirely driven on the material’s design. Unlike common materials, specialty materials are often created for a specific application. Some of the most common specialty material use cases are given, but specialty materials exist for a wide variety of different applications.

The sustainability of specialty pellets and flake varies widely, though often they are not easily recycled at commercial centers. Some specialty pellets are formulated to redirect a specific kind of waste into a pellet form for reuse. Safety data sheets of a specialty material can provide insight into ways to dispose of it properly.

rPC Flake

rPC Polycarbonate (PC) is a high performance material intended for use in engineering and industrial settings. As suggested by its name,

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rPET Pellets

rPET Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is a durable material with either a glossy appearance or opaque appearance depending on its crystallinity. PET

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rPLA Flake

rPLA Polylactic Acid, more commonly known as PLA, is one of the most frequently used materials in 3D printing. Its popularity

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Support Filament

Support material is a class of materials dedicated to serving as easy to remove support. Supports are required on a lot of complex parts, and depending on the geometry they may be difficult to remove. Support material is designed to be easy to remove, and this is often achieved in two different ways. Some support materials are made of PVA, which is often seen in glue. PVA support materials are water soluble, so PVA supports are removed by submerging a part in water. Other support materials are designed to bond with a specific filament. This helps the support material bond to the part, but also remain easy to remove. If you have a complex part that needs intricate support, consider using a dedicated support material in a dual extrusion setup.

Support material has primarily one application, acting as support! The unique properties of PVA support makes it useful beyond just being support. Sometimes, a part may need to dissolve upon contact with water. PVA support is able to meet this unique application.

Due to the wide variety in resins and chemical makeups of support material, there is no one range of settings used for support. Furthermore, printer settings may vary depending on what material you are supporting. It is best to consult the technical data sheets for your specific support material.

The nature of water-soluble support material makes it difficult to recycle or reuse. The unique resins used for many non-soluble support materials means it’s not recycled commercially. This leads support material to often not be recycled or reused. Regrinding and reusing non-soluble support materials may be possible in pellet printers such as Gigabot X.

ABS

ABS Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is another common 3D printing material with popularity that rivals PLA. ABS’s structure contains a long

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Flexibles

Flexibles Thermoplastic Polyurethanes (TPU) are a category of materials that feature rubber-like mechanical properties. Parts made from TPU tend to stretch

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Nylon

Nylon Nylon is a range of materials that are often used for industrial engineering applications. Its chemical nature allows it to

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PC

PC Polycarbonate (PC) is a high performance material intended for use in engineering and industrial settings. As suggested by its name,

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Specialty Filament

Specialty 3D Printing Filament materials

Specialty materials are unique materials created for specific use cases. Sometimes, common materials like PLA or ABS cannot meet the demands of a specific application and a dedicated material is needed. Specialty materials have been created for casting, smooth surface finishes, flexible parts, high clarity, and support material. Due to the wide range of different applications, specialty materials are not easily classified into other common material categories. The chemical makeup of specialty materials is diverse as well, making each specialty material truly special. If you have a very specific demand for a material, there may be a specialty material to help you out!

Applications for specialty materials are almost entirely driven on the material’s design. Unlike common materials, specialty materials are often created for a specific application. Some of the most common specialty material use cases are given, but specialty materials exist for a wide variety of different applications.

ABS

ABS Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is another common 3D printing material with popularity that rivals PLA. ABS’s structure contains a long

Learn More

Flexibles

Flexibles Thermoplastic Polyurethanes (TPU) are a category of materials that feature rubber-like mechanical properties. Parts made from TPU tend to stretch

Learn More

Nylon

Nylon Nylon is a range of materials that are often used for industrial engineering applications. Its chemical nature allows it to

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PC

PC Polycarbonate (PC) is a high performance material intended for use in engineering and industrial settings. As suggested by its name,

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rPC Flake

Polycarbonate (PC) is a high performance material intended for use in engineering and industrial settings. As suggested by its name, PC contains carbonate groups that contribute significantly to its strength and toughness. PC also has excellent temperature resistance, making it useful in high temperature applications as well. Recycled polycarbonate (rPC) comes from regrinding a source of polycarbonate, like failed prints. If you are looking for a strong, industrial material that is also sustainable, rPC is an excellent choice.

rPC’s high performing properties make it a good choice for industrial applications. Parts made from rPC can withstand the demanding environment found in industry. rPC is also perfect for any parts that need to resist high temperatures. rPC is an eco-friendly solution for industrial material when used in pellet printers like Gigabot X since it reuses PC that would typically be discarded.

rPC often comes from regrinding a source of polycarbonate waste. This material is often considered for use in a pellet extrusion machine such as Gigabot X. Polycarbonate is not usually supported by recycling centers since it is grouped into resin code 7 with “other plastics”. Polycarbonate also risks producing bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA.

rPET Pellets

rPET Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is a durable material with either a glossy appearance or opaque appearance depending on its crystallinity. PET

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rPLA Flake

rPLA Polylactic Acid, more commonly known as PLA, is one of the most frequently used materials in 3D printing. Its popularity

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Specialty Pellets & Flake

Specialty Specialty pellets and flake are unique materials created for specific use cases. Sometimes, common materials like PLA or ABS cannot

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rPLA Flake

Polylactic Acid, more commonly known as PLA, is one of the most frequently used materials in 3D printing. Its popularity comes from its ease of use, organic nature, and relatively strong mechanical properties. PLA is also inexpensive making it a great entry-level material. PLA also boasts strong mechanical properties and user-friendly thermal properties that make it easy to print with. Its prevalence and ease of use makes it a perfect material to regrind and recycle. For those who prototype often, rPLA is a sustainable solution.

rPLA is a great material for applications that require rapid prototyping and strong parts. Its ease of use and low cost make it suitable when a part may be frequently reprinted as is the case in prototyping and architecture. rPLA is easily recycled, proving to be a sustainable solution for rapid prototyping. Its strength and ease of use make it suitable for those who need to turn over a lot of strong, functional prototypes.

rPLA is created by grinding failed or older PLA prints. Much like normal PLA, rPLA is made from organic sources and is thus compostable. Since PLA is difficult to recycle at commercial recycling centers, regrinding PLA into rPLA and reusing it in pellet printers is a more sustainable alternative.

rPC Flake

rPC Polycarbonate (PC) is a high performance material intended for use in engineering and industrial settings. As suggested by its name,

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rPET Pellets

rPET Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is a durable material with either a glossy appearance or opaque appearance depending on its crystallinity. PET

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Specialty Pellets & Flake

Specialty Specialty pellets and flake are unique materials created for specific use cases. Sometimes, common materials like PLA or ABS cannot

Learn More

rPET Pellets

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is a durable material with either a glossy appearance or opaque appearance depending on its crystallinity. PET is one of the most common plastics in the world, used in cases like sailcloth, water bottles, and clothes. In the world of 3D printing, PET is often used in the form of PETG which contains glycol. PET and PETG fill a role between PLA and ABS being a tough material and relatively easy to work with. With the rise of pellet printing, PET is growing in relevance as a 3D printing material. PET is also one of the most commonly recycled plastics, making its potential use in 3D printing even more attractive. For those looking for durable parts and a closed loop 3D printing solution, PET is a great material to use.

PET excels when you take advantage of its material properties and its prevalence. Its material properties allow it to perform well in a variety of applications. Its prevalence also makes it a great candidate for recycling and closed loop use cases.

PET is one of the most commonly used recyclable plastics, and often seen in the form of water bottles. The polymer chains that make up PET easily break apart at low temperatures, making PET an easy material to recycle. Being such a common material, there is great potential of recycling and reusing PET. One area of potential use is recycling PET as feedstock for pellet printers like Gigabot X. PET is easily recycled in most recycling centers, and an excellent choice for closed loop solutions due to its prevalence.

rPC Flake

rPC Polycarbonate (PC) is a high performance material intended for use in engineering and industrial settings. As suggested by its name,

Learn More

rPLA Flake

rPLA Polylactic Acid, more commonly known as PLA, is one of the most frequently used materials in 3D printing. Its popularity

Learn More

Specialty Pellets & Flake

Specialty Specialty pellets and flake are unique materials created for specific use cases. Sometimes, common materials like PLA or ABS cannot

Learn More

PC

Polycarbonate (PC) is a high performance material intended for use in engineering and industrial settings. As suggested by its name, PC contains carbonate groups that contribute significantly to its strength and toughness. PC also has excellent temperature resistance, making it useful in high temperature applications as well. Its strength, toughness, and temperature resistance makes it a useful material for final production or industrial parts. PC is also useful with electronics since it is an insulator.

PC’s high performing properties make it a good choice for industrial applications. Parts made from PC can withstand the demanding environment found in industry. PC is also a good choice for storage, especially electronic enclosures. Since PC does not conduct electricity, sensitive electronics will remain safe in PC enclosures. Many of the parts on re:3D Gigabot printers is made with PC. Finally, PC is perfect for any parts that needs to resist high temperatures.

Polycarbonate is recycled most often into a reground material. This material is often considered for use in a pellet extrusion machine such as GBX. Polycarbonate is not usually supported by recycling centers since it is grouped into resin code 7 with “other plastics”. Polycarbonate also risks producing bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA.

ABS

ABS Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is another common 3D printing material with popularity that rivals PLA. ABS’s structure contains a long

Learn More

Flexibles

Flexibles Thermoplastic Polyurethanes (TPU) are a category of materials that feature rubber-like mechanical properties. Parts made from TPU tend to stretch

Learn More

Nylon

Nylon Nylon is a range of materials that are often used for industrial engineering applications. Its chemical nature allows it to

Learn More

PET

PET Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is a durable material with a glossy appearance. Outside of PLA and ABS, PET is a very

Learn More

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Flexibles

Thermoplastic Polyurethanes (TPU) are a category of materials that feature rubber-like mechanical properties. Parts made from TPU tend to stretch and flex easily while maintaining their original shape. This unique property of TPU enables it to fulfill a variety of applications that require flexibility. Though flexible, TPU is a tough material. It features a hardness that is comparable to PETG depending on the specific TPU used. This makes it as useful in harsher industrial applications as it is in gentler environments. When flexibility is key, TPU is the best material for the job.

TPU’s flexibility is the driver for most of its applications. This flexibility comes into great use in footwear where a cushion is needed for a shoe’s sole. Wheels and tires are another example where TPU’s flexibility shines. TPU is a good choice for phone cases and handles by providing a softer grip and a dampening effect. In industrial uses, TPU excels for grommets and dampers where traditional rubber is too weak. TPU’s hardness and flexibility enable dampers and grommets to endure for a long time.

TPU recycling does exist, but the ability to recycle 3D printed TPU parts remains uninvestigated. Usually TPU recycling involves breaking down a specific TPU product and reusing its material in the same application it came from. For example, polyurethane foam from mattresses tends to be recycled into new mattresses.

ABS

ABS Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is another common 3D printing material with popularity that rivals PLA. ABS’s structure contains a long

Learn More

Nylon

Nylon Nylon is a range of materials that are often used for industrial engineering applications. Its chemical nature allows it to

Learn More

PC

PC Polycarbonate (PC) is a high performance material intended for use in engineering and industrial settings. As suggested by its name,

Learn More

PET

PET Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is a durable material with a glossy appearance. Outside of PLA and ABS, PET is a very

Learn More

«1 2 »

ABS

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is another common 3D printing material with popularity that rivals PLA. ABS’s structure contains a long chain on butadiene that crosses with shorter chains of acrylonitrile and styrene. The proportions of each monomer in ABS can vary. ABS is resistant to heat and to impact damage making it a durable material suitable for the outdoors. Its mechanical and thermal properties also give parts a cleaner finish compared to PLA. Due to its chemical nature, printing with ABS usually requires a raft in order to guarantee bed adhesion. This makes it a suitable material for those who have some experience with 3D printing already.

ABS’s durability and temperature resistance allow it to endure life outside. This makes it a good material for enclosures outside. ABS also serves as a good material for custom pipes that may operate outside. ABS’s durability and price point enable it to serve as a suitable material for handles on devices such as power tools. ABS can also replace automotive trim and endure usage on a car. ABS is also the material used in LEGOs. For those wanting to replicate or create new LEGOs, ABS is a perfect material.

Flexibles

Flexibles Thermoplastic Polyurethanes (TPU) are a category of materials that feature rubber-like mechanical properties. Parts made from TPU tend to stretch

Learn More

Nylon

Nylon Nylon is a range of materials that are often used for industrial engineering applications. Its chemical nature allows it to

Learn More

PC

PC Polycarbonate (PC) is a high performance material intended for use in engineering and industrial settings. As suggested by its name,

Learn More

PET

PET Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is a durable material with a glossy appearance. Outside of PLA and ABS, PET is a very

Learn More

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Nylon

Nylon is a range of materials that are often used for industrial engineering applications. Its chemical nature allows it to mix with additives that change its behavior for certain applications. This is easily seen with the variety of nylon filaments that exist. Most nylon filaments share some common features. They are usually resistant to high temperatures and wear. They also have decent strength characteristics that let it excel in industry. Nylons vary in their flexibility and their strength depending on the resin and application. For parts that find themselves in cars, equipment, and industry, nylon gets the job done.

Nylon, especially the stiffer variety, is perfect when creating mounts for car parts. Its durability and tolerance to heat make it right at home inside an engine bay. In industry, nylon is good for gears that need to have high durability and long life cycles. Two surprising areas of application are in shoes and prosthetics. Both application areas require durability and some flexibility. More flexible nylons are the perfect choice for these applications.

Nylon is recyclable, though its feasibility depends on the specific nylon resin. Nylon is not recycled at commercial recycling centers since it tends to be variable as well. Efforts to recycle nylon products such as fishing nets into filament have proven successful. Though recyclable, nylon needs to be considered on a case-by-case basis.

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Specialty

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Support

Density

Melt Index

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Specialty

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rPC

Glass Transition Temperature

Density

Extrusion Temperatures

Top Temperature Zone

Middle Temperature Zone

Bottom Temperature Zone

Heated Bed Temperature

Bed Adhesion

Enclosure

Fans

Printing Speed

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rPLA

Glass Transition Temperature

Density

Extrusion Temperatures

Top Temperature Zone

Middle Temperature Zone

Bottom Temperature Zone

Heated Bed Temperature

Bed Adhesion

Enclosure

Fans

Printing Speed

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rPET

Glass Transition Temperature

Density

Extrusion Temperatures

Top Temperature Zone

Middle Temperature Zone

Bottom Temperature Zone

Heated Bed Temperature

Bed Adhesion

Enclosure

Fans

Printing Speed

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PC

Young's Modulus

Tensile Elongation

Ultimate Tensile Strength

Charpy Impact Strength

Shrinkage Rate below 0.5%

Glass Transition Temperature

Heat Distortion (0.45MPa)

Decomposition Temperature

Extruder Temperature

Heated Bed Temperature

Bed Adhesion

Enclosure

Fans

Printing Speed

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Flexibles

Young's Modulus

Tensile Elongation