Choose the right filament with AI
Open your model and tell us what it is for: we tell you which filament or resin suits it, why, and what you would notice in your part with each one (to the touch, if it drops, in the sun, with heat), with what each material needs when printing.
Your part and what it is for
STL, 3MF, GLB or OBJ, or one of the website's samples (a gear, a vase, a bull and a Flexi Rex, each with its licence); it also works without a model. Done in your browser, with no credits.
Say it in your own words (“a keychain for my house keys”) or pick the use: keychain, figure, miniature, outdoors, car or motorbike, mechanical part, bracket, flexible, toy, prototype, cosplay, box or organiser, kitchen or bathroom. Add what else it has to handle (knocks, heat, sun and rain, water, rubbing, bending) and your printer: open or enclosed filament, or resin.
The materials we compare
- PLA: the easiest and cheapest, stiff with a good finish; it snaps when dropped and softens around 55-60 °C.
- PLA+ (tough PLA): like PLA, but less brittle.
- PETG: tough against knocks, water and the outdoors; holds about 70-80 °C.
- ABS and ASA: hold about 95-100 °C; ASA also takes the sun. They need an enclosed printer and ventilation.
- TPU: rubber-like and almost unbreakable.
- Nylon (PA): the toughest and the best at resisting wear, for gears and hinges.
- Carbon-fibre PLA: stiffer and matte; it needs a hardened steel nozzle.
- Standard, tough and flexible resins: maximum detail for miniatures and figures, with gloves and ventilation.
What you would notice with each one
For each material that suits your part, from best to worst: why it fits, what you would notice when using it (whether it bends or snaps, whether it takes the sun or heat, how it feels), what it needs when printing and a comparison of what matters most for your part. The ones that do not work are listed separately, with the reason: your printer cannot print them, they soften with heat or the part does not fit a resin printer.
Your part's size counts too: a small one needs detail and a large one does not fit a resin printer. The materials the usi3d shop sells link to their spools.
How we choose
Each use asks for certain things and each material meets them better or worse, according to the usual data sheets for its family. What you tick weighs more, and the essentials (heat, sun, flexibility) rule out materials that fall short. For food or drink, no printed part is safe on its own: we say so when it applies.
More on usi3d
- Colors and filament: Paint your STL or GLB with real filament colours, check materials and export your project as GLB or 3MF, in your browser.
- Save filament with AI: See how much filament your 3D model uses and what each trick (infill, walls, supports) and usi3d's AI save you. Download the 3MF with the settings.
- 3D print cost calculator: Open an STL in your browser and estimate filament, electricity, machine time and labor with your own figures.
- Shop: The usi3d shop: filament, spare parts and nozzles, build plates and accessories for your 3D printer, from trusted shops and with compatibility up front.