3D Printing with High-Temperature Filaments

One of the reasons why 3D printing with Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology has become so popular so quickly is the fact that printing with filaments is easy. They are accessible, easy to handle, and generally lend themselves to a simple 3D printing process, even for beginners.
However, not all 3D printing filaments are equally easy to work with. Filaments that print at high temperatures are a bit more complex and are usually reserved for projects that require high-performance characteristics. In this article, we give you some examples of high-temperature filaments, the benefits and drawbacks of printing at high temperatures, and several tips for success.
What are high-temperature filaments?
To put it briefly, high-temperature filaments are 3D printing filaments that require high printing temperatures. While there isn’t a universally agreed threshold for a printing temperature to be considered “high,” we can include any filament that prints satisfactorily above 220 °C under this category.
High-temperature filaments are valued because they typically result in prints with better chemical and mechanical properties. These prints are stronger, have better impact resistance, and are stable when in contact with chemicals. They also do not deform as easily when exposed to high temperatures – a natural advantage of being made of high-temperature material.
However, high-temperature filaments are also known to be some of the toughest to work with. To start, some desktop 3D printers may not be able to reach the printing temperatures needed by these filaments. A heated bed will also be necessary, as will a bed enclosure. Bed adhesion is a persistently difficult matter with high-temperature filaments. All things considered, you’ll need to have considerable experience before you can get good results when printing at high temperatures.
Examples of high-temperature filaments
ABS

Acetonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is the most common example of a high-temperature filament and also one of the most infamous. The printing temperature of ABS lies somewhere in the range of 210 to 240 °C, the most optimal value of which depends on the specific brand.
ABS, along with PLA, is one of the two most popular filament materials used in 3D printing. It’s cheap and available practically anywhere. Prints made with ABS are very strong, chemically stable, and have excellent heat stability.
Post-processing is a unique strength of ABS because of its solubility with acetone. The acetone vapor bath technique is one of the best-known methods for achieving a consistently smooth finish with ABS prints.
However, ABS is also known to be a material that’s highly prone to warping and has poor bed adhesion. It also releases toxic fumes when heated, making printing with ABS a hazardous activity if done in a room with poor ventilation.
Nylon

Nylon is deemed to be...