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?
ABS needs an enclosure for anything above around 10 layers. Even a room closed with it warm and no one inside is not enough to save an ABS print. Just the air from the moving tool head and the bed are enough to disturb a print and cause layer separation. An IKEA Lack table and a garbage bag over it is enough of an enclosure to count and get most prints alright. It stinks though.
TPU will have holes and look terrible unless you print out of a filament drier. You can dry the stuff a lot and print for around 45 minutes with it in open air before it will absorb enough moisture to start expanding steam in the melt zone and blowing holes in your print layers.
Lexam@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
I would try PETG. It doesn’t need an enclosure.
akilou@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
How is PETG different (better?) than PLA?
Lexam@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
It can handle higher temperatures, and UV rays and is not as brittle as PLA. It has a little flex.
JustEnoughDucks@feddit.nl 3 weeks ago
It is better in every way except easy printability and water absorption.
Stronger, UV resistant, more watertight, much more heat resistant, more resistant to creep at room temp, less brittle, can print clear, and doesn’t have a bad warping problem or need and enclosure like printing ABS.
It is essentially just PLA but better and a bit harder to print. I completely switched over to PLA because I found good settings for FormFutura recycled PET (more stringy than petg)
IMALlama@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
For smaller prints, agree. For larger prints a cardboard box will do just fine, but it needs a little something in my experience. Not too much mind you.