High-Performance Plastics in 3D Printing
When standard PLA or PETG isn't enough: temperature stability up to 240 °C, chemical resistance, ESD safety and tribological materials – all processable via FFF.
When standard materials reach their limits
PLA is suitable for design models and prototypes with no mechanical load. Standard PETG for non-critical housings and brackets. But in industrial applications, parts encounter conditions that quickly fall outside this comfort zone: continuous heat, UV radiation, chemical contact, continuous mechanical load or electrostatic charge.
FFF printing has long been capable of processing high-performance thermoplastics – the prerequisite is calibrated industrial hardware with a steel nozzle, a controlled build chamber and material-specific print profiles.
This page gives a structured overview of the material groups available in 3D Fabrikant's standard program.
UV- and Weather-Resistant Materials
For outdoor mounting, open machine halls or installations with direct sun exposure. These materials retain their mechanical properties and color stability even after years of UV exposure.
ASA – Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate
ASA is the most direct evolution of ABS for outdoor use. The acrylate component makes it inherently UV-stable – no fading, no embrittlement under weather exposure. Sands and paints well.
Typical applications: Outdoor brackets, signage systems, automotive accessories, garden automation, outdoor sensor housings.
Full datasheet →Temperature-Resistant Materials: 100–240 °C
For parts in contact with heat sources, in engine bays, ovens, autoclave environments or directly at electronic components. Materials are sorted by increasing continuous use temperature.
ABS
Entry point into technical thermoplastics. Post-processes well (sanding, painting, bonding), for housings and interior components with moderate heat load.
Datasheet →PC (Polycarbonate)
Extremely impact-resistant with high heat deflection. Optional transparency for viewing windows and protective covers. For control cabinets and thermally loaded structural parts.
Datasheet →PAHT-CF
High-temperature polyamide with carbon-fiber reinforcement. For components near engine bays, on heating plates or in drying ovens. Combines high temperature stability with structural stiffness.
Datasheet →PPA-CF
Semi-aromatic high-performance PA with CF for the most extreme temperature requirements. Thermally between PAHT-CF and PEEK, with significantly lower print effort than PEEK. On request.
Datasheet →High-Strength Composites – Carbon Fiber & Glass Fiber
Short-fiber-reinforced filaments combine the processability of thermoplastics with substantially increased stiffness and tensile strength. Use cases: load-bearing brackets, grippers, fixtures, lightweight frame parts.
⚠ CF filaments require a hardened steel nozzle (at least 0.4 mm). So do GF filaments. We use exclusively steel nozzles for all CF and GF materials.
PA-CF (12)
The workhorse among CF filaments. High stiffness, good temperature resistance, reliable processability. First choice for the majority of mechanically demanding parts.
Datasheet →PA-GF
Glass-fiber-reinforced PA12: stiff, dimensionally stable, electrically non-conductive – a relevant difference from CF where conductivity must be excluded. More economical alternative to PA-CF.
Datasheet →PC-CF
Combines PC's impact resistance with CF's stiffness. For structural parts in thermally loaded environments that are simultaneously subject to impact and shock loads.
Datasheet →PETG-CF
Entry point into CF composites: stiffer than standard PETG, easier to process than PA-CF. For indoor applications where dimensionally stable structural stiffness is needed.
Datasheet →PET-CF
PET homopolymer with CF: high dimensional accuracy from low shrinkage, chemically resistant to many media. For precision parts in chemically stressed environments up to 100 °C.
Datasheet →Chemically Resistant Materials
For parts that come into permanent contact with cleaning agents, oils, acids, bases or organic solvents. Resistance is medium-specific – for critical applications we recommend checking the manufacturer's resistance chart before use.
PP-GF (Polypropylene GF)
PP is considered one of the most chemically resistant standard thermoplastics – resistant to acids, bases, many organic solvents. GF reinforcement offsets PP's typical brittleness. For lab equipment, chemical plants and dishwasher-safe components.
Datasheet →PET-CF
PET homopolymer combines very good chemical resistance with excellent dimensional accuracy. For parts in contact with fuels, oils and mild chemicals – with simultaneously high precision requirements.
Datasheet →ASA
For mild chemical exposure combined with UV exposure. Resistant to dilute acids, bases and aliphatic hydrocarbons. First choice for outdoor installation brackets in chemically stressed environments.
Datasheet →Tribological Materials – Low-Maintenance Plain Bearings
iglidur filaments from igus were specifically developed for plain bearings, gears, linear guides and other parts under frictional load. The decisive advantage: no lubrication needed – the material is self-lubricating.
iglidur i150 – Standard Temperature
For plain bearings in normal industrial environments up to ~90 °C. Good processability, low friction coefficients against steel and aluminum, suitable for light to medium bearing loads.
Full datasheet →iglidur i180 – High Temperature
For high-temperature plain bearings up to 160 °C continuous use temperature. Applications: engine-bay-adjacent bearing elements, oven rollers, sterilizable components. Outstanding wear behavior even under thermal load.
Full datasheet →Flexible Materials – TPU Elastomers
Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) combines the processability of an FFF filament with the elastic properties of rubber. Shore hardness 85A (very soft) to 98A (hard-elastic) available.
TPU 85A
Very soft. For gripper pads, sealing lips, cable grommets, vibration dampers. Polymaker PolyFlex TPU95 compatible.
Datasheet →TPU 90A
Soft-medium. For protective covers, flexible joints, protective caps and bumpers. Good balance between flexibility and shape stability.
Datasheet →TPU 95A
Medium-hard. For shape-stable flexible parts like belts, hoses, drive rollers. Bambu Lab TPU – very reliable processing.
Datasheet →TPU 98A
Hard elastomer. For timing belts, transport rollers, sliding elements with high dimensional stability. Close to hard rubber materials, with significantly better printability.
Datasheet →ESD-Safe Materials – On Request
For parts in electrostatically sensitive environments (electronics manufacturing, semiconductor industry, explosive atmospheres). ESD-safe filaments with a defined specific resistance (106–109 Ω) are available on request.
ESD Materials on Request
ESD-safe filaments (e.g. ESD-PETG, ESD-PA) can be sourced for specific projects. For qualification of the material per IEC 61340-5-1 or ANSI/ESD S20.20, we recommend a technical pre-discussion in which part geometry, discharge path and surface resistance are assessed together.
Request an ESD project →Property Matrix – All High-Performance Materials
All values shown are reference values from manufacturer datasheets. HDT per ISO 75 / HDT/A, tensile strength per ISO 527. ✓ = resistant / present ○ = limited / not a primary property ✓✓ = especially good.
| Material | HDT / Heat | Tensile Strength | Chemicals | UV | Note / Strength | Datasheet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASA | ~95 °C | ~45 MPa | ✓ | ✓✓ | Outdoor mounting, weather | → Sheet |
| ABS | ~100 °C | ~45 MPa | ○ | ○ | Housings, post-processing | → Sheet |
| PC | ~135 °C | ~60 MPa | ○ | ○ | High-temp housings, transparent | → Sheet |
| PA-CF | ~180 °C | ~100 MPa | ✓ | ○ | Load-bearing structural parts | → Sheet |
| PAHT-CF | ~200 °C | ~120 MPa | ✓ | ○ | Engine bay, oven environments | → Sheet |
| PPA-CF | ~240 °C | ~130 MPa | ✓✓ | ○ | Extreme temp., lightweight design | → Sheet |
| PA-GF | ~120 °C | ~80 MPa | ✓ | ○ | Electrically non-conductive | → Sheet |
| PC-CF | ~145 °C | ~75 MPa | ○ | ○ | Rigid structural parts | → Sheet |
| PETG-CF | ~80 °C | ~60 MPa | ✓ | ○ | Easier than PA-CF | → Sheet |
| PET-CF | ~100 °C | ~70 MPa | ✓✓ | ○ | Dimensionally accurate, chem. resistant | → Sheet |
| PP-GF | ~110 °C | ~50 MPa | ✓✓ | ○ | Acids, bases, alkalis | → Sheet |
| iglidur i150 | ~90 °C | ~55 MPa | ✓ | ○ | Plain bearings, low maintenance | → Sheet |
| iglidur i180 | ~160 °C | ~45 MPa | ✓ | ○ | High-temp plain bearings | → Sheet |
| TPU 85A | ~70 °C | ~35 MPa | ✓ | ○ | Soft, damping, seals | → Sheet |
| TPU 98A | ~80 °C | ~50 MPa | ✓ | ○ | Hard elastomer, rollers | → Sheet |
Frequently Asked Questions About Technical High-Performance Filaments
Which material is best suited for parts above 100 °C continuous temperature?
For continuous operation above 100 °C (HDT per ISO 75): PC (polycarbonate) up to ~135 °C, PA-CF up to ~180 °C, PAHT-CF up to ~200 °C, PPA-CF up to ~240 °C. ABS (HDT ~100 °C) is suitable for brief heat spikes, not continuous load. HDT/A (measured under load) is decisive, not the Vicat softening temperature. All materials listed are available in 3D Fabrikant's standard program and directly calculable in the online calculator.
Are carbon-fiber-reinforced filaments electrically conductive – and is that a problem?
Yes – CF filaments (PA-CF, PC-CF, PETG-CF, PET-CF, PAHT-CF, PPA-CF) are electrically conductive due to the short carbon fibers (surface resistance typically 10³–10⁵ Ω). This is uncritical for structural parts, but relevant in ESD-sensitive environments or for parts near high-voltage systems. PA-GF (glass-fiber PA) is available as an electrically non-conductive alternative with similar stiffness: surface resistance > 10¹² Ω.
Which material is most chemically resistant for lab environments or chemical plants?
PP-GF (polypropylene with glass fiber) has the broadest chemical resistance: resistant to acids, bases, aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols and many solvents. PET-CF also offers good chemical resistance at higher mechanical strength. ASA is suitable for mild chemical exposure combined with UV. For aggressive media (concentrated sulfuric acid, chlorinated solvents), a resistance check against the manufacturer's chart for the specific filament is generally recommended.
What's the difference between iglidur i150 and iglidur i180 – when do I use which?
iglidur i150 is for standard temperatures up to ~90 °C: easier to process, good for light to medium bearing loads at room temperature to slightly elevated temperature. iglidur i180 is for high-temperature applications up to ~160 °C continuous use temperature: higher heat deflection, better wear values (~10× better than PA vs. ~4× for i150), but more demanding to process. Both materials are maintenance-free (no lubrication) – igus-certified for plain bearing applications.
Can high-performance plastics be post-processed (sanded, drilled, painted)?
Yes, with material-specific differences: ABS, ASA and PC sand, drill and paint very well (good adhesion after sanding and priming). PA-CF and GF filaments drill well but require carbide drills due to the abrasive fibers. TPU can be cut with sharp blades; conventional sanding is difficult due to elasticity. PVB can be smoothed with isopropanol (IPA) – layer lines become invisible within minutes. Contact us for specific post-processing requirements.
More questions → Full FAQ page with 26 questions
Material choice still unclear?
As a mechanical engineering technician, we advise you on material selection – free of charge, directly via contact or the calculator inquiry.