Considerations When Choosing 3D Prototype Materials


The Most Important Considerations When Choosing 3D Prototype Materials
If you’ve ever dipped a toe into the world of 3D printing, you’ve seen the dizzying wall of options. It feels like there are more materials than there are stars in the sky, each with a name that sounds like a character from a sci-fi movie. So, how on earth do you choose?

After years of living and breathing this stuff, I can tell you the answer isn't buried in a complex technical spec sheet. The single most important of all considerations when choosing prototype materials for 3D printing is answering one simple question:

What problem am I trying to solve with this print?

Seriously, that's the magic key. Are you trying to see if a part fits? Or are you trying to see if it breaks? Or maybe, you're just trying to make something that looks absolutely beautiful. Each goal sends you down a completely different path.

Forget trying to find the one "best" material. Instead, I want you to think about the three great trade-offs in prototyping. I call it the Prototyping Triangle: Speed, Strength, and Beauty. The hard truth is, you can usually only pick two.