Material is the first decision affecting both price and whether a part will do its job. Here are three materials we use and their limits.
PLA — accurate and affordable
PLA is the easiest material to print, giving the best accuracy and cleanest surface. It is also the cheapest of the three.
Two limits matter:
- It softens around 55–60 °C. A PLA part can deform in a car in summer. This is a material property, not poor printing.
- It is brittle. Instead of bending, it breaks suddenly under impact or twisting.
Good for scale models, decorative objects, room-temperature housings and holders, and prototypes for checking shape.
PETG — the working material
PETG is our usual choice for parts that do work. Tougher than PLA, it bends under load before breaking. It withstands higher temperatures and copes better with moisture and sunlight.
The trade-off is small: a less clean surface than PLA and slightly softer fine detail.
Suitable for brackets, holders, covers, household-appliance parts and things that will be turned, pressed or pulled.
TPU — flexible
TPU is soft and rubber-like. It bends, springs back and does not snap. It prints more slowly, so costs more per gram.
Suitable for seals, plugs, non-slip feet, flexible covers and protectors.
Beyond these three
These materials cover everyday parts. Since August 2026 we also print in an enclosed heated chamber, allowing ABS and ASA for heat and outdoor use, and polycarbonate, nylons and fibre composites for demanding parts. One thing we do not offer or promise is photopolymer resin printing: that requires a different technology and machine.
If your project specifically needs that material, we will tell you honestly rather than accept a job we cannot complete properly.
Quick comparison
| You need | Choose |
|---|---|
| Accuracy and low cost at room temperature | PLA |
| Resistance to loads, heat and sunlight | PETG |
| Flexibility without tearing | TPU |
Unsure? Tell us what the part is for when uploading the file, and we will suggest what we would choose. Upload a model for a quote or see how prices are calculated.