Plastics and finishes
Three plastics to choose from today and three levels of finish. Here is what each is good at, what it is not for, and what it costs, so you can pick without guessing.
Typical figures for these plastics: a guide, not a rating. Sun on a dashboard, a hot car or a warm engine bay can pass them, so leave a margin.
The short answer
Start with where the part will live and what it has to put up with. If you are still unsure, PETG is the safe answer for anything functional and PLA for anything decorative. Or hold the real thing first: sample packs are from 10p a swatch.
Side by side
Ratings run from 1 to 5 and compare these plastics with each other, not with an industry standard. The words matter as much as the bars.
| Property | PLAThe crisp one | PETGThe tough one | ASAThe outdoor one | TPUComing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Models, enclosures, décor, prototypes | Clips, brackets, mounts, anything that flexes or gets knocked | Outdoor parts, car and garden fittings | Feet, bumpers, grommets |
| Strength and toughness | 3/5 ModerateStiff. Snaps rather than bends. | 4/5 HighTough. Bends a little before it gives. | 4/5 HighTough. Holds up in sun and rain. | Not rated yet |
| Heat | 1/5 LowSoftens from about 55 °C. Not for hot places. | 3/5 MediumSoftens from about 70 °C. | 4/5 HighSoftens from about 90 °C. | Not rated yet |
| Outdoors and UV | 1/5 IndoorsNot for sun or weather. | 3/5 SomeWater-resistant. Not for long hours in direct sun. | 5/5 BestUV stable and water-resistant. Made for sun and rain. | Not rated yet |
| Flexibility | 1/5 RigidDoes not give. | 3/5 Some giveA bit flexible. | 2/5 SlightMostly rigid. | 5/5 RubberyBends and springs back. |
| Surface and detail | 5/5 FinestCrisp edges and fine detail. | 4/5 FineSlight gloss, good detail. | 4/5 FineMatte, good detail. | Not rated yet |
| Plastic, per gram | 12p Lowest. | 15p | 15p | Not on sale yet |
Scroll sideways to see every plastic.
Plastic is only part of the price. It also covers print time and a setup fee, and the full price is shown before you pay. Temperatures are typical softening points, not guarantees.
One by one
The crisp one
12pper gram
Crisp detail and a clean surface. The everyday choice for anything that lives indoors.
The tough one
15pper gram
Tough with a bit of give. The safe choice for anything functional.
The outdoor one
15pper gram
Outdoor-ready and UV stable, with a matte finish. Made for sun, rain and warm places.
Soft and rubbery
A flexible plastic for soft feet, bumpers and grommets. It is not available to order yet, so it is not on the quote page. For a part that has to give a little, PETG is the closest we print today.
What happens after the print
Every part comes off the printer the same way. How much hand work it gets afterwards is your choice, and you pick it when you get a price.
01
Included
Straight off the plate, brim removed. Supports are left on if the shape needs them, and you will see and feel fine layer lines (we print at 0.2 mm layers).
Choose it when the part is functional and you are happy to finish it yourself.
02
+15%of the print price, minimum £3.00
Supports off, strings and blobs trimmed, support marks tidied.
Choose it when you will see or handle the part. Removing supports is hand work, so if you would rather we did it, pick this.
03
+£8.00
Sanded smooth, holes cleared, inserts fitted if you specify them.
Choose it when the surface matters. Tell us what you need in the notes when you get a price.
Prices are added to the part and setup, and the total is shown before you pay.
Fit and size
Printed parts are typically within 0.2 mm of the file. For a press fit or a snap fit, allow for that in the design, or ask us and we will suggest a clearance. If you would rather we designed it, describe the part. If we designed it and it does not fit first time, we reprint once, free.
The largest part is about 250 × 250 × 250 mm in one piece. Anything bigger can be split and joined: tell us what you need and we will suggest how. More answers are in the FAQ on fit and size.
Food and drink. Not food-safe as printed. PETG and ASA are tough and water-resistant; PLA isn't for heat.
Colour and feel
A photo cannot show how a material feels or how a finish looks. Sample packs are small swatches from 10p each, so you can see and handle them first. Colours depend on what is in stock, so the sample packs are the place to see them.
Upload a file and choose a plastic and a finish, or describe a part if you have no file.