A Comparison Of ABS Filaments & PLA Filaments For 3D Printing What do you know about 3D printing? Yes, it prints out a 3D model of the designs created by you. Do you know anything more than that? Well, it is necessary to understand the device that helps recreate the designs so purely made by you. You need to know how the 3D printing techniques work and what exactly they give out. As part of your study of the 3D printer, you should know the kind of plastics being used to create the 3D printers. Basically there are two kinds of plastic that are mostly used to construct the 3D printer. They are PLA (Polyactic Acid or Polylactide) which is based off plant starch while the other is ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) which is based on petroleum. Interestingly these are the two main types of filaments used in 3D printing. Both the plastics, though very useful in 3D printing, have their own advantages and disadvantages. Before deciding which one to use for your printer, you should ideally understand which one works better for your purpose. It’s the filament that technically plays a major role in determining the kind of print that you will get. In case you use poor quality filament then you will face clogged printers or jammed prints. In case you use a filament that is not able to withstand the requirements of the printer, then you will again face an issue while printing. This is why filament and the material used in creating the filament are important while determining a printer. PLA Filament PLA filament is derived from plants that are rich in starch like sugar, beet, corn and wheat. This filament is not just compostable but also biodegradable. This simply means that this PLA filament can be broken down into water, carbon dioxide and biomass, while supporting plant life. This also means it can be broken down over a period of time using microorganisms without proving to be fatal to the environment around you. The whole disadvantage of being compostable and biodegradable is that it can produce methane 62 times the global warming’s potential of producing carbon dioxide. In case this filament gets heated up it will droop and is comparatively more brittle than ABS. This may not be food safe as it can contain dyes and binders which are not really useful. It is equal in its strength to ABS and smells a little sweet when printed. ABS Filaments & PLA Filaments For 3D Printing
ABS Filament ABS filament is derived from petroleum and hence it would not be very safe when it is involved with things related to food. It is pretty resistant and comparatively tough. It is pretty flammable, and tends to break down if you cool it quickly. You will find that the filament bends a bit before it tends to break down. When you use ABS filament for printing, you will observe a strong and toxic smell coming out. Both are pretty much equal in their strengths. You need to find out your printing requirements before you check into either of the filaments.
ABS Filaments & PLA Filaments For 3D Printing