Material guide (FDM)

Current3D offers custom FDM 3D printing services across Brampton, Mississauga, Toronto, and the GTA for prototypes, functional parts, replacement components, and small production runs. We focus on practical, print-ready solutions for customers who need reliable parts, local service, and an easy quoting process.

PLA

most economical

  • Best for: Visual prototypes, test fits, brackets and organizers that live indoors, props, ornaments, desk displays, small toys, figurines and cosmetic parts.
  • Strengths: Lowest cost, very good detail and stiffness; great when you want to prove a concept or check fit before committing to a more demanding material.
  • Limitations for end-use: Can soften in a hot car or near engines/heaters and is more brittle, so not ideal for impact, outdoor, or high-heat environments.

PETG

everyday functional parts

  • Best for: Functional prototypes, light-duty mechanical parts, housings, clips, and parts that may see some outdoor use.
  • Strengths: Better impact resistance than PLA, more temperature and chemical resistance, and less likely to crack under everyday loads.
  • Limitations for end-use: Slightly more flexible than PLA; for very tight tolerances or heavily loaded parts, another material may be better.

ABS / ASA

tougher and more heat-resistant

  • Best for: Enclosures, brackets, fixtures, and automotive-adjacent parts that may see higher temperatures or live outdoors.
  • Strengths: Handles higher temperatures than PLA/PETG, with good impact resistance; ASA adds improved UV/weather resistance, making it a solid choice for outdoor parts.
  • Limitations for end-use: Surface finish can be a bit more “engineering-grade” than cosmetic, and parts can still deform if pushed beyond their rated temperatures.

Nylon / Nylon composites

high-performance functional parts

  • Best for: Strong functional prototypes, end-use mechanical parts, and tooling such as forming dies, clamps, and fixtures where reliability matters.
  • Strengths: Excellent toughness and fatigue resistance, good performance at higher temperatures, and with carbon or glass fiber, very high stiffness and dimensional stability—ideal when you want a printed part to behave more like a traditional engineering plastic component.
  • Limitations for end-use: More sensitive to moisture over the life of the part; for very wet or chemical-heavy environments, design and material selection should be discussed so expectations are clear.

TPU and flexible materials

  • Best for: Gaskets, seals, vibration isolators, impact bumpers, flexible couplers, and grips.

  • Strengths: Flexible and resilient, good for absorbing shock and providing sealing or cushioning, and useful when you need “rubber-like” behavior.

  • Limitations for end-use: Not meant to carry high structural loads or hold precise rigid dimensions; best used where movement and flexibility are a benefit.

Picking materials by use-case 

For custom work, customers can simply describe how and where the part will be used (temperature, environment, loads, chemicals), and Current3D can recommend a material that balances performance and cost.

PLA or PETG

Most economical prototypes and cosmetic parts

PETG or ABS/ASA

Functional prototypes and light-duty working parts

ABS, ASA, or Nylon-based materials

Higher temperature or outdoor environments

Fiber-reinforced Nylon (carbon or glass)

High-strength, high-stiffness tooling and fixtures

TPU or other flexible filaments

Flexible components