Which filament should I use? Three ranked materials out of 11
Answer five questions about the part and get three materials out of 11, ranked by score, with reasons and print temperatures. The ranking is worked out in your browser.
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- 5 questionsabout the part and printer
- 11 materialseight for FDM and three resins
- 3 resultsranked, with reasons
- Nozzle and bedfor the eight FDM materials
Choosing a 3D printing material: PLA, PETG and the rest
“Which filament should I use?” is a free online tool from EduFacturing that turns five answers about a part into three 3D printing materials out of 11, and says why. The materials are eight for FDM (PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU 95A, nylon PA, PC, PP) and three resins: standard, tough and flexible.
The ranking is a sum of points from a table: every material has a score for every part type, condition, load and experience level.
A 3D printing material selection tool: what you get
Asks about the part, the conditions and the printer
Part type (six choices), conditions (outdoor UV, moisture, heat above 60 °C, oils and solvents, or none), load, printer (FDM, resin or both) and experience (beginner or advanced).
Ranks 11 materials by score
It shows the top three: one lead and two alternatives. With FDM only, 8 materials take part, with resin only 3.
Says why and what to watch out for
Each result comes with up to three reasons, the printing difficulty, a price class (€, €€ or €€€) and what to watch out for. The eight FDM materials also show nozzle and bed temperatures and link to the matching defect.
Warns about food contact
When you pick “Will come into contact with food”, the warning always appears. “Share the result” copies a link that opens the same answers straight on the result.
When it helps: outdoor parts, food contact, a first spool
A material is picked before printing, not after the first broken part.
First spool to buy
A beginner sees that experience weighs in: ABS, ASA and PP lose 3 points each, nylon 4 and PC 5.
A spare part or an outdoor part
Pick the part type, the conditions and the load, and get three materials with a reason for each.
A lesson on materials
A teacher changes one answer in front of the class and the class sees the ranking shift: there is no number one material for everything.
A part that touches food
The tool says plainly that no FDM or resin material is food-safe just because it was printed.
How the points for the materials are worked out
The ranking is a sum of points from a table, not a hidden function. The same answers always give the same result.
Printer filter
The printer carries no points: FDM only leaves 8 materials, resin only 3, and both types 11.
Points per answer
Every material has a score for the part type, for each condition, for the load and for experience. The scores for the answers given are added.
Order and reasons
Materials are sorted from most to fewest points and the first three are shown. On equal points the table order stays. Each gets up to three reasons, or a general one if there is none: cheaper, easier to print or a sensible balance.
| Applies to | Formula | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Points | points = s(part) + s(load) + s(experience) + Σ s(condition) | one score from the table for each answer; conditions number 0 to 4 and add up |
| Example 1 | PETG = 3 + 2 + 2 = 7 | mechanical part, bending, beginner, no conditions, both printer types; tough resin with 4 and PLA with 3 follow |
| Example 2 | ASA = 2 + 1 + 5 − 3 = 5; ASA = 2 + 1 + 5 + 2 = 10 | same part, bending and outdoor UV: a beginner gets PETG on top with 8, an advanced user ASA with 10 |
A reason for every pick, not just a name
Nozzle and bed temperatures are not from memory
For the eight FDM materials, nozzle and bed temperatures are the typical ranges in slicer profiles, read from the rules core. Where the sources disagree, both ranges show. For PLA the typical nozzle range is 210–230 °C in the Orca and Bambu profiles and 190–240 °C across the combined profile set. Resins have no such figure.
The food warning does not depend on the result
It appears on every food contact choice, even when PP or PETG leads.
The recommendation is an educational starting point and does not replace engineering judgement for load-bearing parts. The scores are the team’s judgement built on reference data: the tool does not calculate strength, dimensions or the cost of a specific part.
It compares only 11 materials, with no carbon-fibre composites. It does not know your printer model, only whether it is FDM or resin, so it can suggest PC that your machine cannot print: the difficulty is shown next to every result.
Questions about choosing a filament
Which filament should I use for 3D printing?
It depends on the part. The tool asks about the part type, the conditions, the load, the printer and your experience, and ranks 11 materials by points. The top three are shown with reasons.
PLA or PETG: which one should I choose?
It depends on the part. For a mechanical part with bending, a beginner and no other conditions, PETG leads with 7 points and PLA has 3. PLA is easy to print but softens at about 55 to 60 °C.
What type of filament should I use as a beginner?
It depends on the part, but experience weighs in: for a beginner ABS, ASA and PP lose 3 points each, nylon 4 and PC 5.
What is the best filament for outdoor use?
ASA gets the most points for outdoor UV (+5), while ABS gets −3 and PLA −4. For a beginner ASA loses 3 points for experience: for a mechanical part with bending and UV, PETG comes first with 8 and ASA second with 5. For an advanced user ASA leads with 10.
Is there one best material for 3D printing?
No. Every polymer is a compromise between strength, toughness, flexibility, heat resistance and ease of printing. PLA is easy but softens at about 55 to 60 °C, while PC holds up to about 135 °C but is hard to print and in the €€€ class.
Which 3D printing material is food safe?
None, just because it was printed. The layer lines trap moisture and bacteria that cannot be fully washed out, even with PP and PETG. The tool warns on every food choice and suggests a certified (FCF) filament, a food-safe coating, or dry and single-use food only.
Is it free, and do I need an account?
Yes, it is free. Without an account the tool opens 3 times a day. A free account removes the limit.
The filament picker is free. Pro opens the rest
Pro costs 15 EUR a month and opens 45 Pro tools.
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Pick a filament for your part
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