ABS
- oil based
- melts at a little higher temperature than PLA
- better choice for warmer applications (such as extruders)
- a little stronger than PLA (this is unsupported evidence for me, I
haven't really seen the numbers on this, but this is a common point)
- more expensive than PLA
- available in many colors, including transparent. But you may need to
shop around to find em.
PLA
- starch based (corn/plants/goats milk etc.)
- more environmentally friendly
- from a renewable resource
- if disposed of properly it will biodegrade
- cheaper
- melts at a lower temperature than ABS
- not as suitable for applications where heat is a concern
- considered a little weaker than ABS
- cheaper than ABS
PVA
- water soluable plastic
- possible uses as supports for more complex prints (when using FDM
printing)
- troublesome to work with - the ambient humidity may be enough to begin
the dissolving of the filament, so care is needed to keep the filament
dry when not in use.
- expensive (twice the cost of ABS)
Disclaimers:
- I have zero experience with PVA (yet), so cannot comment on strength
or other properties.
- I have not had a need to print with PLA either (yet), but have some
exposure to it. Still the info above is general knowledge, I think.
Conclusion:
- PLA may make for a cheaper solution for most objects.
- Use ABS when you need more strength or the object will be exposed to
heat (above 150-ish degrees celcius)
- avoid PLA unless you have a specific need, or have cash to throw around.
Other than that, the "difficult to use" comments seem to be a matter of
opinion. I find the ABS easy enough to use, if I understand/configure
my machine properly. Getting a properly levelled platform, and using
the correct temperatures for my environment, I see little or no peeling
or adhesion issues. Taller prints may de-laminate in the middle if not
allowed to cool off at an even rate (hence the hoods and side panels
you'll often see in use...). But that is just a knowledge thing. I've
yet to see anything done in PLA that couldn't be made to look as good in
ABS, unless the semi-transparent colors are needed. That said, I have
picked up a roll of PLA to experiment with.
HTH.
Shawn
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