What material can I use with my Bits from Bytes 3D printer?

BFB sells and supports two thermoplastic materials: ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) and PLA (Polylactic Acid). PLA is probably the easiest material to work with when you first start printing. PLA is a biodegradable thermoplastic that has been derived from renewable resources such as corn starch and sugar canes. This makes PLA environmentally friendly and very safe to work with. It is also our preferred choice for support material. (Support material is used to make scaffolding to support the geometry of a model which otherwise would be printed in mid-air.)

When using PLA as support material, the main part needs to be printed with ABS. ABS is considered to be the second easiest material to work with when you start 3D printing. ABS is an engineering polymer commonly used to produce car bumpers due to its toughness and strength. It does however have a tendency to warp on larger geometries and this must be considered when choosing your material.

You can also use HDPE, LDPE, PP and uPVC plastics on Bits from Bytes 3D printers, however due to their undefined nature, we cannot support them on a technical level.