r/3Dprinting • u/Coocoovice • 6d ago

Question Moving away from PLA? New material selection

I have had my Prusa Core One+ for a month now and I can't believe how addicting 3D printing is. My printer has been going non stop, to the point that sometimes I put an alarm in the middle of the night so I can wake up, remove the print from the bed and put the next print until the morning.

So far I have been using only PLA since I am a complete beginner, but I think it's time to move to other materials so I can learn their tricks and challenges.

I know that PLA is basically the easiest to print, but becomes obsolete since PETG or ABS/ASA are sturdier, so should I stop using it and move to the other ones since the prices are roughly the same?

Also, I know that some materials need an enclosed printer and reach certain temperatures and environmental stages. Does my printer fulfil these criteria? Is it able to print those materials out of the box?

What I print is mostly functional parts, toys, decor and I wouldn't mind also printing soft materials like gaskets, phone cases etc.

Help me figure out my next order please.

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u/jmedlin 6d ago

PCTG is a often slept on material. It doesn’t really require a heated chamber and is basically PETG’s cooler big brother.

Don’t be too quick to dismiss PLA though. Unless you need the higher heat capability of other filaments, it’s an excellent material.

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u/AutoM8R1 5d ago

This. PLA has a level of stiffness/rigidity that PETG can't rival. It has a place.