Carbon- and glass-reinforced nylons (PA6, PA12, PA612, PAHT, PPA), PPS-CF for coolant-flooded work, PC and PC-FR, ASA-CF for outdoor use, PET family, ESD grades, and TPU. Real engineering parts. Real tolerances. Real lead times.
FDM (fused deposition modeling) builds parts by melting thermoplastic filament and depositing it layer by layer. It's the fastest way to get small-batch functional parts in real engineering thermoplastics in your hands.
We run materials with mechanical, thermal, and chemical performance specified to engineering datasheets. If your part needs to survive heat, chemicals, or repeated mechanical load, we have the right material — or we'll tell you when something else is the right answer.
Toughness, fatigue resistance, high cycle count.
| Material | Use it for | Key property | Skip it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| PA612-CF15Carbon-fiber PA612 | Direct equivalent to Stratasys FDM Nylon 12CF for most applications. Structural brackets, jigs, drone arms, EOAT. | Lower moisture sensitivity than PA6 or PA12. Excellent stiffness-to-weight. | Repeated hard impact — fiber matrix is stiff but less impact-tolerant than unfilled PA. |
| PA612-ESDElectrostatic-dissipative PA612 | Electronics handling, PCB fixturing, anti-static parts trays. | PA612 backbone with conductive additive. Surface resistivity in the dissipative range. | Non-ESD applications — cost premium isn't justified. |
| PA6Unreinforced nylon | Maximum toughness and impact resistance. Living hinges, snap fits, parts that take drops. | High elongation, excellent fatigue life. | Tight tolerances on large parts — moisture absorption causes dimensional drift over time. |
| PA6-GF20 / GF25Glass-fiber PA6 | Stiffness-critical parts where carbon's cost isn't justified. | Higher stiffness than unreinforced nylon, retains fatigue resistance. | Conductive applications — glass fibers are insulating. |
| PA6-CF20Carbon-fiber PA6 | Higher stiffness-to-weight than glass-filled. Functional brackets, structural jigs. | High modulus. PA6 toughness with CF stiffness. | Humid environments — PA6 absorbs more moisture than PA12 or PA612. |
| PA12-CF10Carbon-fiber PA12 | Dimensionally stable parts in humid environments. Outdoor-adjacent applications. | Lower moisture pickup than PA6. | Sub-100 °C continuous-service applications where PA612-CF would cost less. |
| PAHT-CFHigh-temp nylon CF | Parts near heat sources — welding fit-up jigs, fixtures adjacent to hot zones. | Continuous service to ~150 °C. | Cost-sensitive room-temp work — use PA612-CF instead. |
| PPA-CFPolyphthalamide CF | Highest continuous-service temp in our nylon lineup. Sustained 150–180 °C exposure. | Continuous service to ~180 °C. CF stiffness. | Anything PAHT-CF handles — PPA-CF costs more. |
For coolant-flooded operations, solvents, and sustained heat.
| Material | Use it for | Key property | Skip it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| PPS-CF10Polyphenylene sulfide CF | Coolant-flooded turning fixtures, wet-machining workholding, harsh chemical environments. Pump housings, fluid manifolds. | HDT ~220 °C. Chemically inert to standard machine shop coolants, solvents, cutting oils, acids, bases. Post-print annealed for full mechanical performance. | Cost-sensitive routine parts — material is expensive. Use PA-CF when chemistry isn't the constraint. |
| PPS-GF20Glass-fiber PPS | Same chemical resistance as PPS-CF with a different stiffness profile and lower cost. | HDT ~220 °C. Insulating where carbon would conduct. | Stiffness-critical structural parts — use PPS-CF. |
Strong, dimensionally stable, impact-resistant.
| Material | Use it for | Key property | Skip it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCPolycarbonate | Welding fit-up jigs in moderate heat zones, structural workholding, parts that need impact resistance. | HDT ~138 °C. Highest impact strength of any common FDM thermoplastic. | UV exposure (yellows over time) — use ASA-CF outdoors. |
| PC-FRFlame-retardant PC | Electrical enclosure components, control housings, applications requiring UL94 flame ratings. | PC mechanicals plus UL94 flame rating. | Non-regulatory applications — standard PC costs less. |
For fixtures exposed to sun or weather.
| Material | Use it for | Key property | Skip it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASA-CF08UV-stable ASA with carbon-fiber | Outdoor fixtures, sun-exposed parts, weather-exposed brackets. Both UV-stable and structurally rigid. | UV-stable. CF-reinforced — materially different from standard ASA. | Indoor structural work where PET-CF or PA-CF would be cheaper. |
General-purpose engineering workhorses.
| Material | Use it for | Key property | Skip it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| PET-CF17Carbon-fiber PET | Workhorse material for general fixture work. Stiff, dimensionally stable, good chemical resistance to non-aggressive shop fluids. | High modulus. Good chemical compatibility. | Coolant-flooded immersion — use PPS-CF. |
| PET-GF15Glass-fiber PET | Lower-cost alternative to PET-CF where carbon's stiffness premium isn't required. | Slightly lower stiffness than PET-CF, similar dimensional stability. | Stiffness-critical parts. |
| PETG-CFCarbon-fiber PETG | Lighter-duty engineering fixtures. Easier to print than PET-CF. | Stiff for PETG family, lower performance ceiling than PET-CF. | Fatigue-loaded parts — use PA-CF. |
| PETG-ESDElectrostatic-dissipative PETG | Cost-effective electronics handling fixtures, parts trays. | ESD-safe. | Structural applications — PA612-ESD performs better. |
| PETG-rCF08Recycled-CF PETG | Cost-sensitive applications where sustainability is a value-add. | Recycled carbon-fiber feedstock. | Performance-critical work — virgin CF compounds perform more consistently. |
Soft-grip, non-marring, vibration-dampening.
| Material | Use it for | Key property | Skip it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| TPU 85A–95AThermoplastic polyurethane | Soft-grip fixtures, paint-mask fixtures, non-marring workholding for finished parts, vibration-dampening pads, gaskets. | Flexible, abrasion-resistant. Co-prints with rigid plastics. | Parts needing full elastic recovery — TPU has some hysteresis. |
Multi-material: up to 24 channels in a single build. Combine rigid structural plastic with TPU gaskets, or co-print breakaway support material for complex internal geometries.
Need something not listed? Any compatible engineering filament can be sourced overnight. We'll tell you up front if a job is better served by a Stratasys-tier shop running PEEK, PEKK, or PEI/ULTEM — those exceed what we run in-house. See the limits of FFF for the full process boundary.
FDM is a real engineering process. It's not magic. Here's exactly what to expect.
±0.1 mm on small parts under 50 mm. ±0.2 mm on parts up to 200 mm.
Larger parts: dimensional drift in the build direction increases with part height. Worth a conversation before committing to a 300 mm-tall part with a tight bore.
Carbon-filled and glass-filled materials hold tolerance better than unfilled — anisotropic shrinkage is lower.
FDM parts are not isotropic. Layer adhesion in the Z axis is roughly 60–80% of in-plane strength, depending on material and chamber temperature.
If your part takes load perpendicular to the print direction, design for that — orient the part so layer lines run with the load, or talk to us about reinforcement strategies.
We dimensionally check critical features with calipers, pin gauges, and — when geometry warrants it — the EinScan Rigil Lite for non-contact dimensional verification of complex surfaces and as-printed-vs-CAD comparison.
We don't operate a CMM in-house. If your application requires a full first-article inspection report or PPAP-grade documentation, tell us up front — we'll scope the inspection separately or refer you to a metrology shop.
Aerospace flight-critical certified parts. Medical implant or food-contact applications. ISO 9001 / AS9100 certified production.
If your spec requires certification we don't have, tell us — we'll either find you a partner or tell you we can't help. Honest answer beats wasted time.
FDM parts come off the printer with visible layer lines, support marks, and minor surface texture. Depending on the application, that's fine as-is — or we finish.
Standard. Layer lines visible. Best for jigs, fixtures, internal parts, structural parts where surface doesn't matter.
All support material removed before delivery. No raft, no obvious blemishes.
Hand-sanded for cosmetic faces or where the part needs a smooth contact surface. Adds 1–2 days to lead time depending on part complexity.
Available for ABS and ASA (acetone-vapor process). Produces near-injection-mold surface finish. Adds 1–2 days and additional cost — specified on the quote.
Heat-set brass inserts, M2–M6, installed in-house. Specify in your request.
We anneal PPS-CF (and other semi-crystalline materials when called for) to complete crystallization, lock in dimensional stability, and unlock the full mechanical performance the datasheet promises. Specify on the request if your application demands it.
We don't paint or coat in-house. We can recommend a local finisher.
Soft jaws, fixtures, drilling jigs, vise inserts. Print overnight. Free the spindle for revenue work.
View use cases →Fit-up jigs, alignment fixtures, tack-weld stands. Lightweight, designed for repeat use on the shop floor.
View use cases →CMM fixtures, surrogate parts, soft jaws, line-side aids. Faster and lower-cost than outsourcing to a machine shop.
View use cases →Assembly fixtures, drill templates, inspection tools, robotic end-effectors, ergonomic operator grips. Production tooling without the tooling cost.
View use cases →Broken bracket, worn pulley, obsolete part the OEM no longer carries? On-site 3D scanning, replacement engineered and shipped before the next planned downtime.
View use cases →STEP, STL, or 3MF. STEP is preferred for tolerance-critical work — STL loses geometry information. A sketch with dimensions also works for one-offs.
Material preference (or ask us to recommend), quantity, deadline, post-processing needs (threaded inserts, sanding), tolerance requirements on critical features.
We email you a price and a delivery date. Most jobs quote within four hours during business days.
New customers pay the invoice (ACH, credit card, or company PO) before we print. Established customers — Net 30 available. Larger jobs may require a deposit; we'll specify on the quote.
Local pickup in Lenexa. Courier delivery anywhere in the KC metro inside 30 mi. Shipping anywhere in the US — UPS Ground or your courier of choice.
Send a STEP, STL, or sketch. Same-day quote. Next-day part.