Nozzle and bed temperature, part cooling, enclosure need, drying, shrinkage and density for the 18 filaments people actually print. Every row links to the full page for that material.
| Filament | Nozzle | Bed | Cooling | Enclosure | Dry | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA | 190–220 °C | 20–60 °C | 80–100 % | Not needed | 45 °C / 4 h | 1.24 g/cm³ |
| PLA+ / Tough PLA | 205–230 °C | 45–60 °C | 60–100 % | Not needed | 45 °C / 4 h | 1.24 g/cm³ |
| Silk PLA | 205–230 °C | 45–60 °C | 60–100 % | Not needed | — | 1.24 g/cm³ |
| PLA + carbon fibre abrasive | 200–230 °C | 35–60 °C | 80–100 % | Not needed | 55 °C / 8 h | 1.22 g/cm³ |
| Glow-in-the-dark PLA abrasive | 200–225 °C | 50–60 °C | 80–100 % | Not needed | — | 1.32 g/cm³ |
| PETG | 230–250 °C | 70–85 °C | 30–50 % | Helps | 65 °C / 4 h | 1.27 g/cm³ |
| PETG + carbon fibre abrasive | 240–270 °C | 70–90 °C | 30–50 % | Helps | 65 °C / 8 h | 1.30 g/cm³ |
| ABS | 230–260 °C | 90–110 °C | 0–20 % | Required | 65 °C / 4 h | 1.04 g/cm³ |
| ASA | 240–265 °C | 90–110 °C | 0–20 % | Required | 65 °C / 4 h | 1.07 g/cm³ |
| PC-ABS blend | 255–275 °C | 100–110 °C | 0–20 % | Required | 80 °C / 4 h | 1.10 g/cm³ |
| TPU (95A) | 220–235 °C | 30–50 °C | 30–60 % | Not needed | 50 °C / 6 h | 1.21 g/cm³ |
| Nylon (PA) | 240–270 °C | 70–90 °C | 0–20 % | Required | 70 °C / 12 h | 1.14 g/cm³ |
| Nylon + carbon fibre abrasive | 250–280 °C | 70–90 °C | 0–20 % | Required | 70 °C / 12 h | 1.18 g/cm³ |
| Polycarbonate | 260–300 °C | 100–120 °C | 0–10 % | Required | 80 °C / 6 h | 1.20 g/cm³ |
| Polypropylene (PP) | 220–250 °C | 85–100 °C | 20–50 % | Required | — | 0.90 g/cm³ |
| HIPS | 230–245 °C | 100–110 °C | 0–20 % | Required | 65 °C / 4 h | 1.04 g/cm³ |
| PVA (dissolvable) | 190–210 °C | 45–60 °C | 40–70 % | Not needed | 45 °C / 6 h | 1.23 g/cm³ |
| Wood-fill PLA abrasive | 190–220 °C | 45–60 °C | 80–100 % | Not needed | 45 °C / 4 h | 1.25 g/cm³ |
These are widely-published starting points for the generic material, not a specification. Individual spools vary by brand, colour and additive package — always defer to the figures printed on your spool.
The default. Easiest material to print, stiff but brittle, and it softens in a hot car.
PLA with a toughening additive. Prints nearly like PLA but survives a drop.
PLA with a gloss additive. Same easy printing, a mirror-like sheen, and noticeably weaker parts — this is a looks material.
PLA with chopped carbon fibre. Much stiffer and more dimensionally stable, with a matte finish — and it will destroy a brass nozzle.
PLA loaded with strontium aluminate so it glows after a light charge. Prints like PLA, and is the most abrasive filament most people ever load.
The practical middle ground: tougher and more heat-tolerant than PLA, far easier than ABS.
PETG with chopped carbon fibre. Keeps PETG's toughness and chemical resistance, adds stiffness and a matte finish, and strings far less.
Heat-resistant and machinable, but it warps hard and the fumes need extraction.
ABS reformulated for outdoors — same strength and heat range, but it does not yellow in sun.
A polycarbonate/ABS blend: most of PC's heat and impact resistance, but it prints closer to ABS. An engineering material that needs a hot chamber.
Rubbery and near-unbreakable. Prints slowly and hates Bowden tubes.
The toughest common filament — but it drinks water out of the air and must be printed dry.
Nylon with chopped carbon fibre: stiffer, far more dimensionally stable, and it destroys brass nozzles.
Engineering grade: the highest heat resistance and impact strength you will print on a hobby machine.
Polypropylene: light, flexible and nearly chemical-proof. The one common filament that sticks to almost nothing, including your build plate.
Mostly used as dissolvable support for ABS — limonene washes it away.
Water-soluble support material. Prints easily, but ruins itself in humid air.
PLA loaded with wood flour. Sands and stains like timber, and wears nozzles doing it.
Temperature is only half of it — the print-defect troubleshooting guide covers stringing, warping, under-extrusion, layer shifts and the rest, each with its likely causes in order.
Every number on this page is in the app too — next to the calculators that use it, working offline at the printer.
Get it onGoogle Play