{"id":37598,"date":"2018-03-16T10:20:53","date_gmt":"2018-03-16T14:20:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/?p=37598"},"modified":"2022-05-04T22:26:57","modified_gmt":"2022-05-05T02:26:57","slug":"6-incredible-materials-can-3d-print-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/6-incredible-materials-can-3d-print-now","title":{"rendered":"6 Incredible Materials You Can 3D Print in Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

When most people think of 3D printing they picture simple, mono-colored pieces of plastic, but with Shapeways there\u2019s way more you can do. Since launching in 2007, we\u2019ve added over a dozen <\/span>different materials<\/span><\/a> and finishes. Everything from multi-colored sandstone<\/a> to nylon plastic to gold is available now for your 3D-printing pleasure.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a quick guide to some of the most amazing materials you can design and 3D print with right now.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Painting<\/p>\n

Frosted Detail Plastic<\/span><\/a><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re looking for the most accurate 3D printing material, one of the best options is frosted detail plastic. We use a multi-jet process, printing and curing each layer one at a time to create high-definition designs that are perfect for model trains, miniature figures, and other small objects.<\/span><\/p>\n

Frosted detail plastic comes in Ultra and Extreme Detail options\u2014the latter is best for incredibly detailed features like engravings. Both versions of the material can also be painted over easily for a splash of color.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"3D<\/a><\/p>\n

HP Nylon Plastic<\/span><\/a><\/h2>\n

We use a top of the line HP Jet Fusion 3D 4200 to print strong and functional objects out of nylon plastic. It\u2019s perfect for phone cases, camera mounts, and drone parts, but it\u2019s also smooth enough to make jewelry, toys, and home decor.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nylon plastic is also cheap to print, and comes in black or gray. If you\u2019re designing with it, keep in mind that stiff, thicker objects are less likely to warp. Smaller details will also show up more clearly in black.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"3D<\/a><\/p>\n

Aluminum<\/span><\/a><\/h2>\n

This is the only metal material other than steel that we can directly print (rather than 3D printing wax and creating a mold). Aluminum\u2019s strength makes it an ideal choice for mechanical and other load bearing parts. \u00a0Additionally, Aluminum is perfect for bike accessories and other products that will be exposed to the environment due its high corrosion resistance. It\u2019s not cheap to print, but it\u2019s still not as expensive as other metal materials like gold.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re designing in aluminum, remember that sharp edges on your object could get rounded down. The material also isn\u2019t accurate enough for complex interacting parts like screws and nuts, though it does support interlocking parts.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"full<\/a><\/h2>\n

Full Color Sandstone<\/span><\/a><\/h2>\n

If you want a multi-colored object, Sandstone is the way to go. It\u2019s a fantastic full-color 3D printing material and it\u2019s pretty cheap too, making it the perfect choice for figurines and lifelike models.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shapeways special printing process for Sandstone involves creating one layer of color at a time.The finished product will look amazing on your desk or up on a shelf, though it\u2019s too brittle to be handled on a regular basis.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"3d<\/a><\/h2>\n

Gold<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Platinum<\/span><\/a><\/h2>\n

Finally, we come to precious metals. Yes, you can create gold objects with Shapeways in either 14 karat (gold, rose gold, or white gold) or an extra vibrant 18k gold option. For truly special objects, you can also choose to 3D print in platinum.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"3d<\/a><\/p>\n

The process involves 3D printing a wax model which is used to create a plaster mold. \u00a0The plaster mold is used to pour and cast the material, and it works for platinum too. It\u2019s perfect for creating small rings, earrings and other jewelry. Of course, gold and platinum don\u2019t come cheap, but if you\u2019re looking to create an extra special piece of jewelry, this is a great way to do it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Try it Now<\/a><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When most people think of 3D printing they picture simple, mono-colored pieces of plastic, but with Shapeways there\u2019s way more…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":134,"featured_media":37646,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[510],"tags":[2391,821,2392,2388,552,2384,2385,2381,2386,955,1590,731,2389,946,2253,490,1139,1944,2382,2383,2390,2387],"class_list":["post-37598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-3d-printing-industry","tag-3d-printed-gold","tag-3d-printed-jewelry","tag-3d-printed-platinum","tag-3d-printed-selfie","tag-3d-scan","tag-aluminum","tag-aluminum-tool","tag-carabiner","tag-direct-metal-laser-sintering","tag-earrings","tag-frosted-ultra-detail","tag-full-color-sandstone","tag-gold-hoops","tag-hp","tag-hp-nylon-plastic","tag-jewelry","tag-miniatures","tag-multi-jet-fusion","tag-multi-tool","tag-multitool","tag-platinum-jewelry","tag-scanning"],"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/all-materials.jpg","yoast_head":"\n6 Incredible Materials You Can 3D Print in Now - Shapeways Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When most people think of 3D printing they picture simple, mono-colored pieces of plastic, but with Shapeways there\u2019s way more you can do. 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