Best 3D Printing Materials for Production Parts in 2026
Choosing the right material can make or break a production 3D printing job. While hobbyists might get by with basic PLA, service bureaus need to understand the full range of materials available and when to use each one.
FDM Materials
PLA (Polylactic Acid)
The workhorse of desktop 3D printing. PLA is easy to print, affordable, and produces parts with good dimensional accuracy. However, its low heat resistance (around 60°C) limits its use for functional parts exposed to heat.
Best for: Prototypes, visual models, architectural models, low-stress fixtures.
PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol)
PETG bridges the gap between PLA's ease of printing and ABS's mechanical properties. It offers good chemical resistance, impact strength, and better temperature resistance than PLA.
Best for: Functional prototypes, food-safe containers, outdoor signage, mechanical parts.
ASA (Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate)
ASA is the UV-stable cousin of ABS. It handles outdoor exposure without yellowing or becoming brittle. Excellent choice for parts that will live outside.
Best for: Outdoor enclosures, automotive trim, garden tools, weather-exposed fixtures.
Nylon (PA6, PA12)
Nylon delivers excellent strength, flexibility, and wear resistance. It's the go-to for functional mechanical parts like gears, hinges, and snap-fits. Requires a dry box for filament storage.
Best for: Gears, bearings, snap-fit assemblies, wear-resistant parts, living hinges.
Carbon Fiber Composites
Carbon fiber reinforced filaments (usually nylon or PETG base) offer exceptional stiffness-to-weight ratio. They're increasingly popular for drone frames, robotics, and tooling fixtures.
Best for: Lightweight structural parts, tooling, jigs, drone components.
Resin Materials
Standard Resin
Affordable and high-detail. Standard resins produce beautiful surfaces but are brittle. Best used for visual models and parts that won't bear mechanical loads.
Tough/ABS-Like Resin
Engineered to mimic ABS mechanical properties. These resins handle impact and stress better than standard options while maintaining excellent surface finish.
Flexible Resin
Produces rubber-like parts with varying Shore hardness. Useful for gaskets, grips, wearable prototypes, and vibration dampeners.
Dental/Medical Resins
Specialized biocompatible resins certified for dental and medical applications. Higher cost but essential for surgical guides, dental aligners, and hearing aid shells.
Choosing the Right Material
When a customer asks "what material should I use?", consider:
- Operating temperature — Will the part be exposed to heat?
- Mechanical loads — Stress, impact, fatigue requirements
- Environment — Indoor vs outdoor, chemical exposure, UV
- Aesthetics — Surface finish requirements, color options
- Regulations — Food safety, biocompatibility, flame retardancy
- Budget — Material cost varies dramatically across options
Use our Technology Selector Tool to help match customer requirements to the best printing technology and material combination.
Material Storage Tips
Proper storage extends material life and print quality:
- Keep filaments in sealed containers with desiccant
- Store resins away from UV light at room temperature
- Use a filament dryer before printing hygroscopic materials (Nylon, TPU, PETG)
- Label everything with purchase date and remaining quantity
Need help estimating material costs for a project? Try our Material Cost Estimator or find a service provider with the right materials on our directory.