3D Printer Filament Australia

Filament is the thing schools forget to budget for. A printer is a one-off purchase; filament is the running cost, and a class gets through it faster than anyone expects once students start iterating properly. This is the range for the printers we supply, in both common diameters.

Check your diameter first

• 1.75mm - MakerBot SKETCH and SKETCH Sprint, FlashForge, and most other desktop printers
• 2.85mm - UltiMaker S series only

The two are not interchangeable, and it is the most common ordering mistake. If you are unsure, the diameter is usually printed on the spool or in the printer's manual, and we are happy to check for you.

Which material for which job

• PLA - the everyday classroom choice. Prints at a lower temperature, less odour, forgiving of a first attempt, and cheap enough that students can iterate rather than getting one go.
• Tough PLA - for parts that will be handled, dropped or actually used rather than displayed.
• PETG - better heat and moisture resistance. The choice for jigs, fixtures and anything going outdoors.
• TPU - flexible. Grips, seals, wheels and anything that needs to bend and spring back.
• ABS, Nylon, CPE and PC - engineering materials for senior and TAFE work, where strength or chemical resistance matters. Most want ventilation and a settled workflow.
• PET CF - carbon-fibre reinforced and stiff, for functional parts. Needs an abrasion-resistant print core.
• PVA - a water-soluble support material for dual-extrusion printers. Dissolves away, leaving clean internal surfaces no amount of sanding would achieve.

Two things worth planning for

• Keep it dry. Nylon, PVA and the flexibles take moisture straight out of humid air, which shows up as rough surfaces and popping mid-print. Store them sealed with desiccant.
• Order a spare of your most-used colour. Running out mid-project costs a lesson, and the spool you run out of is always the one you needed.

Not sure what your printer takes, or how much a class will get through in a term? Ask us. Everything here is supplied to order, and schools, TAFEs, universities and government institutions can order on a purchase order or request a quote. See the printers themselves in 3D Printers.