Filament

Also known as: 3D Printer Filament, Print Material

beginner Materials

The plastic material fed into FDM printers, typically a thin strand wound on a spool.

Filament is the raw material used in FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printers. It comes as a long, thin strand of plastic wound onto a spool.

Standard Sizes

  • 1.75mm - Most common, used by most consumer printers
  • 2.85mm (often called 3mm) - Less common, some older/industrial printers

Common Materials

MaterialDifficultyUse Case
PLAEasyGeneral, decorative
PETGEasyFunctional, durable
ABSModerateHeat resistant
TPUModerateFlexible parts
NylonHardEngineering
ASAModerateOutdoor use

Spool Sizes

  • 250g - Sample/test sizes
  • 500g - Small projects
  • 1kg - Standard, most common
  • 2-5kg - Bulk/production

Storage

  • Keep dry (silica desiccant)
  • Sealed bags/containers
  • Away from UV light
  • Some materials need drying before use

Quality Matters

  • Diameter consistency
  • Roundness
  • No moisture
  • No contaminants
  • Proper winding