I’ve printed probably 5 kilos worth of prints with a lot of success, but exclusively PLA. I’d like to branch out to a new material. Should I start with ABS or TPU?
Petg or Tpu
Fear ABS and ASA like your worst nightmare
TPU.
ABS is a beautiful filament, but it’s somewhat similar to PLA in its properties.
TPU I fun to play with and its flexibility offers different properties than PLA
IMO having the ability to do TPU is way more versatile than going to another rigid structural filament.
ABS/ASA is just “pla but more impact resistant”.
TPU is “haha funny squishy wait this turns into a living hinge?” and opens up a TON of print opportunities.
I had a lot more fun trying out TPU (both high and low durometers) than switching to any other kind of filament. Whatever you print basically becomes shockproof l, is squishy/bendy, and you can chuck it across a room full-force with no problems. Super fun.However, TPU is happiest with a direct drive extruder. High durometer (95a) TPU’s are fine, but not optimal, in bowden extruders, while low durometer (Ninjaflex) straight up won’t print right thru a bowden. So keep your type of printer in mind when shopping for spools of test filament.
I would try PETG. It doesn’t need an enclosure.
No
It really depends on what you’re looking for. Are you just looking to learn how to print new materials, or do you have specific requirements for a project?
If it’s the former, I’d say the easiest thing to try is PETG. It prints pretty reasonably on most printers though has stringing issues. It has different mechanical properties that make it suitable for other applications (for example, better temperature resistance and impact strength). It’ll be much less frustrating than trying to dial in ABS for the first time.
ABS and TPU are both a pretty large step up in difficulty, but are quite good for functional parts. If you insist on learning one of these, pick whichever one fits with your projects better. For ABS you’ll want an enclosure and a well ventilated room (IMO I wouldn’t be in the same room as the printer) as it emits harmful chemicals during printing.
I designed and printed a fender for my kid’s bike. It would be totally usable as a fender but he’s a savage so he broke the first one within 30 seconds of me installing it. Then I changed the design to add more support and that one lasted a full hour before he broke it off. So I’d like to print the same design again in a new material. I think either of these two would work, as they would put up with more abuse in different ways. one would be much harder and the other more forgiving.
I don’t love the idea of the toxic fumes. I don’t want to get an enclosure and the printer is in my home office off of my living room. I could crack a window and let it run overnight but that sounds inconvenient.
TPU will be nearly impossible for your kiddo to destroy. ASA/ABS are rugged, but if your print has thin surfaces it’s less strong in my experience than PETG.
I didn’t find TPU hard to print personally, just go slow and turn retraction way down or completely off. It will string pretty good, but most slicers have a setting to avoid crossing perimeters that will keep it in check. The only thing I would be wary of is ending up with a floppy print, so make sure the part has some structure.
