Materials We Commonly Use Material choice is one of the biggest drivers of strength, finish, performance, and cost. This page lists the materials we commonly use across our equipment and workflows. Availability can vary by project, finish requirements, and scheduling. If you’re unsure what to choose, upload your files and requirements — we’ll recommend the best material based on function, environment, and timeline.
Quick Material Selection Guide Not sure what to choose? Here are fast recommendations based on common project needs: - Fast concept / lowest cost: PLA (FDM) or Standard/Draft Resin (SLA)
- Functional durability: PETG, ABS/ABS+, Nylon (PA), Tough/Durable Resin
- Outdoor / UV exposure: ASA (FDM)
- Flexible / rubber-like: TPU (FDM) or Flexible/Elastic Resin (SLA)
- High stiffness / fixtures: PA-CF / PA-GF, PC (project-dependent), Rigid Resin
- Heat resistance: PC / PC-ABS (project-dependent) or High Temp Resin
- Presentation quality + detail: SLA Standard/Rigid resins + finishing
- Investment casting patterns: Castable Wax / Castable Wax 40 resins
- Sheet cutting without heat distortion: Waterjet (metals, glass, plastics)
- Signage, branding, packaging mockups: Laser (wood, cardboard, leather, dark acrylic)
Material Comparison Tables These quick charts help you compare common materials by strength, flexibility, heat resistance, surface finish, and typical use case. If you're unsure, upload your files and tell us how the part will be used. FDM Filament Comparison | Material | Strength / Durability | Flexibility | Heat Resistance | UV / Outdoor | Finish | Best For | | PLA / PLA+ | Medium | Low | Low | Low | Good | Fast concept prototypes, form/fit, visual models | | PETG | Medium-High | Medium | Medium | Medium | Good | Functional prototypes, brackets, enclosures, general-use parts | | ABS / ABS+ | High | Medium | Medium-High | Medium | Good (finish-friendly) | Durable functional parts, impact, housings, higher-heat prototypes | | ASA | High | Medium | Medium-High | High | Good | Outdoor parts, UV exposure, weatherable enclosures and brackets | | TPU (Flex) | Medium | High | Medium | Medium | Good | Bumpers, grips, gaskets, vibration isolation, flexible prototypes | | Nylon (PA) | High | Medium-High | Medium-High | Medium | Fair-Good | Wear-resistant parts, living hinges, gears, durable functional prototypes | | PA-CF / PA-GF | Very High | Low-Medium | High | Medium | Fair | Rigid fixtures/jigs, tooling aids, high-stiffness brackets and mounts | | PC / PC-ABS (project-dependent) | Very High | Medium | High | Medium | Fair-Good | High-stress parts, higher-heat prototypes, rugged housings | Note: Material choice depends on geometry, wall thickness, load direction, and environment. We’ll recommend the best option for your application.
SLA Resin Comparison | Resin | Detail / Surface Finish | Strength / Durability | Flexibility | Heat Resistance | Best For | | Standard | Excellent | Medium | Low | Low-Medium | Visual prototypes, fit checks, presentation models | | Draft | Very Good | Medium | Low | Low-Medium | Fast iteration prototypes, larger concept models | | Tough | Excellent | High | Medium | Medium | Functional prototypes, snaps, stronger fit parts | | Durable | Excellent | Medium-High | High | Medium | Living hinges, repeated handling, “soft” tough parts | | Rigid | Excellent | High | Low | Medium | Dimensionally stable parts, stiff prototypes, structural models | | Flexible / Elastic | Excellent | Medium | Very High | Low-Medium | Gaskets, compliant features, rubber-like parts | | High Temp | Excellent | High | Low | Very High | Heat testing, hot environments, tooling concepts | | Castable Wax (20%) | Excellent | Medium | Low | — | Investment casting patterns; clean burnout and high detail | | Castable Wax 40 (40%) | Excellent | Medium | Low | — | Casting patterns for complex geometry; lower expansion, easier workflow | | Flame Retardant / ESD (project-dependent) | Excellent | Medium-High | Low-Medium | Medium-High | Specialty production needs and industrial fixtures | Note: SLA resins vary widely by performance and workflow. If you have a specific standard or use case, tell us — we’ll recommend the best match.
Laser & Waterjet Material Comparison (Sheets) Sheet material selection depends on thickness, finish needs, and whether the material can tolerate heat. Use waterjet when you want a cut without heat distortion. Use laser for speed, signage, packaging mockups, and branding work. | Material | Best Process | Cut Quality | Heat Sensitivity | Common Uses | Notes | | Aluminum Sheet | Waterjet | Excellent | High | Brackets, panels, mounting plates | No heat-affected zone; ideal for precision profiles | | Stainless Steel | Waterjet | Excellent | High | Fixtures, industrial parts, brackets | Great for durable functional components | | Acrylic (Colored / Dark) | Laser / Waterjet | Very Good | Medium | Signage, displays, panels | Laser works best on darker acrylic; waterjet works universally | | Polycarbonate Sheet | Waterjet | Excellent | High | Guards, impact-resistant panels | Waterjet avoids melting/edge issues | | Wood / Plywood | Laser | Very Good | Low | Signage, fixtures, display elements | Fast and clean for prototypes and branding elements | | MDF | Laser | Good | Low | Prototypes, signage, display mockups | May have more smoke/edge darkening than plywood | | Cardboard / Paper | Laser | Excellent | Low | Packaging mockups, dielines, fast prototypes | Great for fast iteration and concept approvals | | Leather | Laser | Very Good | Low | Branded goods, tags, giveaways | Ideal for premium branding and logo engraving | | Glass | Waterjet / Engrave (project-dependent) | Excellent | High | Decorative elements, architectural features | Waterjet is ideal for cutting profiles; laser is for engraving only (project-dependent) | | Vinyl / PVC | Not Laser Safe | — | — | — | Not cut on laser for safety; contact us for alternatives |
FDM 3D Printing Materials (Filament) FDM is ideal for functional prototypes, durable parts, fixtures, and large-format builds. Material selection depends on strength, heat, flexibility, UV exposure, chemical resistance, dimensional stability, and surface finish requirements. Concept / Prototyping Grade - PLA — fast, affordable prototypes; great for form/fit and early concepts
- PLA+ — improved toughness vs. standard PLA
- Cosmetic PLA (Silk / Matte) (project-dependent) — improved presentation finish
General-Purpose Durable Grade - PETG — strong, slightly flexible; excellent all-purpose functional prototypes
- PETG-CF (project-dependent) — stiffer, more stable PETG for cleaner mechanical prototypes
Impact / Functional Engineering Grade - ABS — durable, higher heat resistance; functional parts and enclosures
- ABS+ / Tough ABS (project-dependent) — improved toughness and stability
- HIPS — impact resistant; also used as a dissolvable support material in certain workflows
Outdoor / UV-Stable Grade - ASA — UV resistant and weatherable; excellent for outdoor prototypes and parts
- ASA-CF (project-dependent) — stiffer outdoor-grade parts, improved dimensional stability
Flexible / Elastomer Grade - TPU (90A+ typical) — flexible, impact resistant; grips, bumpers, gaskets, vibration isolation
- TPU (softer variants) (project-dependent) — higher flexibility where needed
Engineering Grade (High Strength / Wear / Heat) - Nylon (PA6 / PA12) — tough, wear-resistant; functional parts and living hinges
- Polycarbonate (PC) (project-dependent) — very strong and heat resistant
- PC-ABS (project-dependent) — excellent balance of toughness and heat resistance; great for housings
- Polypropylene (PP) (project-dependent) — lightweight, chemical resistant; durable parts and living hinges
Reinforced Engineering Grade (Max Stiffness / Tooling / Fixtures) - PA-CF (Carbon Fiber Nylon) — stiff, strong; brackets, tooling, fixtures
- PA-GF (Glass Fiber Nylon) — durable and stable; functional parts, jigs, fixtures
- PC-CF (project-dependent) — very stiff and strong; industrial functional parts
- High-Stability Reinforced Options (project-dependent) — best for jigs, fixtures, and repeatable manufacturing aids
Support / Specialty Materials - PVA — water-soluble support for complex geometries
- Breakaway Support — quick supports for fast prototyping
SLA 3D Printing Materials (Resin) SLA produces high-detail parts with smooth surfaces and excellent dimensional accuracy. It’s ideal for presentation models, fine features, tight-fit assemblies, patterns for casting, and production-grade parts depending on resin choice. Standard / General Purpose Grade - Standard Resin — accurate parts for visual prototypes and general fit checks
- Draft Resin — faster prints for early prototypes and larger concept parts
Tough / Impact-Resistant Grade - Tough Resin — strong, impact resistant; functional prototypes and snap features
- Durable Resin — more compliant/tough; living hinges and repeated handling
Rigid / Structural Grade - Rigid Resin — stiff parts for dimensionally stable prototypes
- High-Stiffness / Reinforced Rigid Resins (project-dependent) — maximum rigidity, reduced deflection
Flexible / Elastomer Grade - Flexible Resin — compliant parts, gaskets, soft-touch prototypes
- Elastic Resin (project-dependent) — higher stretch and rebound for rubber-like parts
High-Temperature Grade - High Temp Resin — elevated heat performance for functional environments and tooling concepts
Casting Grade (Jewelry + Dental Patterns) - Castable Wax Resin (20% wax-filled) — clean burnout with zero ash; often ready to cast after washing (no post-cure required)
- Castable Wax 40 Resin (40% wax-filled) — easier casting workflow for challenging/high-detail designs; burns out cleanly with low expansion
- Castable Resin (legacy / project-dependent) — casting patterns that require a more specific burnout schedule
Casting Notes - Best for: investment casting patterns, jewelry prototypes, complex filigree geometry, and high-detail molds/patterns.
- Geometry matters: thick “solid” patterns may need vents/feeds and a tuned burnout schedule to prevent expansion stress.
- Finish quality: print surface quality directly affects cast surface quality — we can optimize orientation/supports for best results.
- Burnout schedule varies: the ideal cycle depends on the investment material, flask size, geometry thickness, and casting method.
- Tell us your method: if you already have an investment/casting workflow, share it — we’ll match resin choice and print settings to it.
Production / Performance Grade (Project-Dependent) - Flame-Retardant Resins — projects requiring FR performance characteristics
- ESD / Static-Dissipative Resins — electronics handling, fixtures, and assembly tools
- Open Material / Specialty Resins — unique performance requirements
Waterjet / Water Cutting Materials Waterjet cutting is ideal when you want clean profiles without heat distortion. It works well for metals, glass, plastics, and composites. Thickness capability depends on material type and project specifications. Metals (Common) - Aluminum — brackets, panels, structural components
- Stainless Steel — durable parts, industrial brackets, fixtures
- Mild Steel (project-dependent) — industrial parts, prototypes, tooling plates
- Brass / Copper (project-dependent) — specialty parts and prototypes
Glass / Ceramic / Stone - Glass — profiles, decorative components, architectural elements
- Tile / Ceramic — architectural and display components
- Stone (project-dependent) — specialty parts and display materials
Plastics & Composites - Acrylic — signage, display parts, panels
- Polycarbonate (project-dependent) — impact resistant components
- HDPE / UHMW (project-dependent) — wear strips, functional panels
- Composite Sheets (project-dependent) — specialty panels and industrial materials
Laser Cutting & Engraving Materials Laser is excellent for fast prototypes, signage, branded assets, packaging mockups, and engraved components. Material compatibility depends on laser power and the specific material type/color. Cuttable Materials - Wood / Plywood — signage, fixtures, display elements
- MDF (project-dependent) — prototypes and signage
- Cardboard / Paper — packaging mockups and prototypes
- Leather — branded goods, tags, giveaways
- Rubber Sheet (project-dependent) — stamps, gaskets
- Dark Acrylic (material-dependent) — signage and display components
- Felt / Fabric (project-dependent) — branded and display elements
Engraving / Marking Materials - Wood — branding and artwork
- Leather — logos and marking
- Anodized Aluminum (project-dependent) — marking/engraving applications
- Coated Metals (project-dependent) — marking applications
- Glass / Stone (project-dependent) — engraving where suitable
Materials We Do NOT Laser Cut For safety, we do not laser cut materials that can produce corrosive or toxic fumes, such as: PVC/vinyl and certain unknown plastics. If you’re not sure what material you have, send a photo/spec sheet and we’ll confirm compatibility.
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