Materials Calculators

Selecting the right material is one of the most important decisions in 3D printing. PLA remains the most popular choice for UK makers due to its ease of printing, low warping, and availability from suppliers like Filamentive, eSun, and Prusament. However, PLA softens at around 55-60 degrees Celsius, making it unsuitable for parts exposed to heat. Our PLA vs PETG Calculator provides a direct side-by-side comparison of these two common materials across strength, temperature resistance, flexibility, and printability, helping you choose the right one for your specific application.

For functional parts, the Material Strength Calculator estimates tensile and compressive strength based on material type and print orientation. Layer orientation has a dramatic effect on part strength, with prints loaded along the layer lines being significantly weaker than those loaded perpendicular to them. The Heat Resistance Calculator checks whether your part will survive its intended operating temperature, critical for automotive, electronic enclosure, or kitchen applications. The Flexibility Calculator covers TPU and other flexible filaments, providing shore hardness values and flex characteristics for gaskets, phone cases, and vibration dampeners.

Post-processing transforms the look and durability of printed parts. The Post-Processing Calculator estimates the time and materials needed for sanding through grits from 120 up to 400, priming, and painting. The Paint Coverage Calculator works out how much primer and paint you need based on surface area, saving you from buying too much or too little from UK hobby suppliers like Halfords or Games Workshop. For ABS prints, the Acetone Smoothing Calculator determines the correct vapour bath duration and chamber dimensions to achieve a glossy, injection-moulded appearance. The Material Weight Calculator rounds things out by computing final part weight from volume and density, useful for shipping estimates and weight-sensitive applications like drone parts.