While shopping for 3D printing filaments, you'll frequently find a technical data sheet (TDS) that contains comprehensive information on the item. If you're not an engineer or aren't familiar with the technical terms used, these data sheets may seem overwhelming. Yet, they offer useful details that might aid in your decision to choose the best filament for your project.
Two important categories to pay attention to on technical data sheets are the mechanical and thermal properties of the filament. Mechanical properties describe how a material will behave when force is applied, while thermal properties describe how it will behave when exposed to heat.
Here are some key terms you may come across:
Specific Gravity: the density of a material compared to the density of water. It is a measure of how heavy a defined volume of material is. Values below 1g/cm^3 mean that it will float. Steel is around 8g/cm^3 and Aluminium around 2,7g/cm^3.
Tensile Strength: the maximum amount of stress a material can withstand before breaking under tension. Higher values mean it will take more force.
Yield: the stress at which a material begins to deform plastically (non elastic) or permanently.
Tensile Elongation: the amount of stretch a material can undergo before breaking.
Tensile Modulus: a measure of the stiffness of a material. It is the ratio of stress to strain under tensile loading. Higher values mean it is stiffer. Low three digit values usually can't be felt by hand. We offer everything from 150MPa (rubber like) to 15000MPa (can be used to bend steel).
Flexural Strength: the maximum amount of stress a material can withstand before breaking under bending. Higher values mean it will take more force.
Flexural Modulus: a measure of the stiffness of a material under bending stress. It is the ratio of stress to strain under flexural loading. Higher values mean it is stiffer. Differences within three digit values usually can't be felt by hand. We offer everything from 150MPa (rubber like) to 15000MPa (can be used to bend steel).
Izod Impact Strength: a measure of a material's resistance to impact or shock loading. Higher values mean higher resistance to impact.
Charpy Impact Strength: another measure of a material's resistance to impact or shock loading. Higher values mean higher resistance to impact.
Ball Indentation: a measure of a material's hardness. It is the depth of penetration of a ball into the material under a specific load. Higher values mean the surface is harder.
Rockwell Hardness: another measure of a material's hardness. It is the depth of penetration of an indenter under a specific load. Higher values mean the surface is harder.
Shore Hardness: a measure of a material's resistance to indentation. It is the hardness of the material's surface. Higher values mean the surface is harder.
Heat Deflection Temperature (HDT): the temperature at which a material begins to soften under load. The higher the value the more heat resistant it is. Often there is an A or B added. A is the standard test version that has a relatively high load. B has a lower load (25% of the HDT A load) applied.
Vicat Softening Temperature: the temperature at which a material begins to soften under a specific load. The higher the value the more heat resistant it is.
These characteristics are crucial because they can affect how well the final 3D-printed object performs. For instance, to guarantee that a functional item you are printing won't break or deform under continual stress, use a filament with a high tensile strength and modulus of elasticity. But, if you're printing something that will be in contact with hot surfaces, you should pick a filament with a high HDT to be sure it won't melt or distort.
Also, it is important to keep in mind that these characteristics might change based on the printing circumstances, such as the printer settings and the layer orientation. So, it's crucial to test your print to make sure it complies with your intended requirements.
Understanding the mechanical and thermal properties found on technical data sheets of 3D printing filaments can help you choose the right filament for your project. It's worth taking the time to familiarize yourself with these properties and how they can impact the performance of your prints. We hope to have helped you understand our TDS’ better.
