One of the major problems with any technology is the numerous choices available to the end user. 3D printers and 3D printer filaments are no exception. However, not all filament is created equal. When users review a filament from a certain brand, they usually take into account a number of essential factors, some of which will include ease-of-use, printing reliability, binding between layers, available materials and colors, the overall print quality, and after-sales support. So what is the best 3D printer filament? What factors we need to consider when choosing the best 3D printer filament for your machine and your project? It is the purpose of this article to cut to the chase and introduce you some top factors regarding what is the best 3D printer filament.
The Significance of Choosing the Right 3D Filament
Filament is to 3D printers what gasoline is to automobiles. You need quality filament to run your machine and to get desired prints. Just like you can fill your car’s tank with top-quality gas to make it run better, it’s also the case to load up your 3D printer with higher quality filament that will optimize your machine’s performance.
Low-quality prints are sometimes the result of a sub-standard 3D printer or a poorly-configured machine. However, it is often the case that poor or ugly 3D prints are the result of low-quality filament or the wrong type of filament being used for your project. Therefore, choosing the right 3D filament is significant for you to get successful and desired prints. Knowing what type of filament to use, and choosing the right one with good customer reviews, will facilitate your 3D printing and make your 3D printing experience wonderful.
Types of 3D Printer Filaments
Nowadays, many 3D printers allow you to use 3D printer filaments in different materials such as PLA, ABS, TPU, PETG, and etc. The most popular 3D printing filaments right now are thermoplastics, which are heat-sensitive polymers. Below is a table of the common types of 3D printer filaments you’re likely to come across:
(An Overview of The Common 3D Printer Filament Types, Source: Wikipedia)
The table above is just a quick overview of common 3D printing materials. For more detailed information on these 3D printer filaments, please refer to our article: An Overview Of The Common 3D Printer Filament Types.
Top Factors To Consider
When asking yourself what is the best 3D printer filament, you need to take into consideration a number of factors and think about things like your budget, the kind of parts you print, your expectations, personal preferences, and etc. Concerning 3D printer filament, there are some top factors for you to consider if you want to find the best 3D printer filament for your machine and your printing job.
1. Raw Materials
Premium raw material is the key to good 3D printer filament. If a filament uses raw materials that are sub-standard and low-quality, then it is most likely that you’ll get poor-quality or ugly 3D prints, or even worse, it will cause jam or damage to your 3D printer. Therefore, pay attention to the raw materials of the 3D filaments. For example, TIANSE PLA 3D printer filaments use premium raw materials along with self-developed non-toxic dyes/pigments/infills, and have passed the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). Moreover, TIANSE PLA 3D filament is non-toxic, eco-friendly and biodegradable.
2. High Performance
Even if a 3D filament uses premium raw materials, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee excellent reliability and exceptional performance. To achieve the optimum printing reliability and performance, the product engineers and experts at TIANSE have tried their best through trials and errors to finally find the right formula for TIANSE branded 3D printer filaments. TIANSE 3D printer filaments feature high purity, high strength, strong toughness, easy molding, high temperature resistance and stable melting point, without clogging or bubble issue.
3. High Compatibility
Filament size is also of great importance, and it’s something you should know before you even start shopping for a new stock. Most filaments available are either 1.75mm or 2.85mm in diameter, which fit the majority of 3D printers on the market. In addition to this, it’s also important to look into the tolerance and roundness specifications of the filaments. For example, TIANSE 1.75mm 3D printer filament has a tolerance of ±0.03mm and a roundness of ＞95%, which can work with a variety of FDM 3D printers like MakerBot, UP plus, Anet8, Creality CR-10/10S, Mendal, Prusa series that accept 1.75mm filament.
4. Color Options
A lot of customers and users prefer a 3D printer filament supplier who provides one-stop service of 3D printer filaments in various materials and colors. This is just a strength of TIANSE. TIANSE manufactures 3D printer filaments in various materials like PLA, PLA PRO, TPU, PETG, and also in a full array of colors like black, white, red, blue, green, yellow, orange, gray, pink, purple, wood, to name just a few. Moreover, if you have specific requirements for filament color or spool size, TIANSE can also accept custom order to specially manufacture 3D printer filament in certain particular color and spool size.
5. Vacuum Package
Without proper package, your 3D printer filament will probably end up in trash bin even if it seems to arrive in good condition. 3D printer filament needs to be vacuum-sealed to keep it away from moisture or humidity to ensure quality prints and excellent performance, and an improperly sealed filament may become brittle, snap easier, and change colors. All TIANSE 3D printer filaments are vacuum packaged for longer time storage. For filament storage tips, you can also refer to our article: How To Store Your 3D Printer Filament and Keep It Dry.
6. Customer Support
Quality product alone doesn’t justify a quality brand. Without professional custom support, a 5-star shopping experience cannot be guaranteed. Excellent technical customer service is just as important as product quality, especially in 3D printing industry still so new. If you want the reassuring backup of a professional team of highly experienced technical support specialists on hand to help you with any printing issues, you’d better choose a filament brand that truly knows their stuff. Here at TIANSE, a professional technical team and after-sales team are always here to provide you with expert advice and professional support, timely and efficiently solving your pre-sales, in-sales and after-sales problems related to product details, filament properties, quality- or printing-related problems.
We hope you can take the above top 6 factors into consideration when judging what is the best 3D printer filament. We also hope this article will assist you in finding the best 3D printer filament from a right filament manufacturer to suit your 3D printing needs. Just remember one simple rule: high quality 3D filament = high quality 3D prints. Always look for the best 3D printer filament from a trusted reliable 3D filament manufacturer such as TIANSE, and you’ll save yourself time, money and frustration in the long run.
Post time: May-28-2019