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3D Printing Guide
- Thread starter Fallen
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Basics
What is 3D Printing?
3D Printing is an additive manufacturing process whereby a digital file is created in the real world by building up layers. Generally speaking when we’re talking about 3D printing we mean using either plastic filament or a UV curing resin.What are my main options with 3D Printing?
Mainly when talking about 3D Printing in the 405th most people are talking about FDM printing using filament, but occasionally they are talking about resin printing. Each has pros and cons and different safety tips or processes, but both are valid and can be used to create some amazing pieces.FDM Printing
FDM printing is the most common method for printing armor and props. Filament is melted and laid down layer by layer using very thin lines of extruded plastic to create complex objects.FDM Printers
BedslingerA bedslinger printer is one where the print bed moves along the Y axis while the print head moves in the X and Z axes. They are generally cheaper and simpler to both build and maintain but require more space due to the bed “slinging” back and forth. While not always the case they tend to be run more slowly and can sometimes struggle with taller prints due to bed vibration resulting in wobbling. Newer models have greatly improved on this, but it is worth making the note.
Examples:
Creality Ender 3
Source: https://www.creality.com/products/ender-3-3d-printer
Prusa i3 MK3S+
Source: Prusa i3 3D printer - Original Prusa 3D Printers
CoreXY
A CoreXY printer moves the print bed on the Z axis while the print head itself moves in the X and Y axes. This printer can typically handle faster speeds than many bedslingers, takes up less space for the print volume, and vibrates less. However they tend to be more expensive and harder to build or repair than bedslingers.
Examples:
Bambu Lab P2S
Source: Bambu Lab P2S
Prusa CORE One L
Source: Prusa CORE One L | Original Prusa 3D printers directly from Josef Prusa
Delta
A delta printer uses vertical towers where arms move the print head in curved motions. The bed itself stays completely still while the combination of the arms’ movement sets where the printhead goes to lay down filament. The prints can be quite fast while achieving tall print heights but are oftentimes more difficult to calibrate and less intuitive to work with.
Examples:
Anycubic Kossel
Source: https://store.anycubic.com/products/anycubic-kossel-3d-printer
FLsun QQ-S
Source: FLSUN QQ-S 3D Printer: Review the Specs
This list is not all inclusive as there are other types of printers including fixed bed cartesian printers such as the Ultimaker 2 or FlashForge Creator series, belt printers like Creality’s CR 30, and more, but these are the most common terms you’ll hear in this space.
Filament Types
Filament will be covered more in depth in a later post, but to touch on it briefly some of the most common types are PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, and TPU. They each have different pros and cons, but will be discussed later in its own section.Resin Printing
Resin printing is another popular method of printing, most often used in cosplay for detail pieces, but there are some members with large enough resin printers to print things like visors, smaller props, and sometimes even small armor pieces. It creates objects by using an ultraviolet light through a layered mask on a screen to harden liquid resin layer by layer. The part is pulled out of the liquid vat as it prints, resulting in it hanging from the bed when finished.Resin Printers
MSLA (Masked SLA / LCD Resin Printer)Most commonly when talking about resin printers someone is referring to an LCD resin printer when an LCD screen creates a mask to block or allow UV light and cures an entire layer at once. These printers are relatively affordable, simple to use, and provide great detail.
Examples:
Elegoo Saturn Series
Source: https://us.elegoo.com/products/saturn-4-12k-10inch-monochrome-lcd-resin-3d-printer
Anycubic Photon Mono
Source: https://store.anycubic.com/products/photon-mono-m7
SLA (Laser-based SLA)
Laser based SLA printers use a UV laser that draws each layer line by line in order to cure the resin. It has a high accuracy and dimensional precision but it’s slower than MSLA and printers tend to be more expensive.
Examples:
Formlabs Form 3
Source: Form 3+: Industrial-Quality Desktop Resin 3D Printer
Large Format
There are plenty of larger format MSLA and SLA printers out there that can do larger items such as some props and armor parts including full size helmets, but they are less common in the hobbyist space.
Examples:
Phrozen Sonic Mega 8K S
Source: Phrozen Sonic Mega 8K S 15" LCD 3D Printer - Phrozen US
DLP (Digital Light Processing)
DLP printers use a digital projector to flash the entire layer at once. It is similar to MSLA machines but does not have the LCD creating a mask. They tend to be used in more professional fields such as dentistry as opposed to hobbyists due to their smaller build volume and higher cost.
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Tools
What tools do I need to start 3D Printing?
The tools you need will depend on a few factors, but assuming you’re asking for making props and armor there are some common items you will want to have on hand to get started.At a minimum for FDM Printing you will need:
- FDM 3D Printer
- Filament
- Slicer software
At a minimum for Resin Printing you will need:
- Resin 3D Printer
- Resin
- Slicer
- Washing solution - commonly isopropyl alcohol
- Container for washing
- UV curing source
- Safety Gear
- Gloves
- Eyeglasses
- Respirator
Later sections will add additional recommendations especially for resin printing, but these would be a bare minimum to begin.
Health and Safety
Note: we are not medical or safety experts, this information is tentative and from our own experience via trial and error. Read at your own discretion.
The safety of FDM printing will depend particularly on the type of filament that you are using. PLA for example is generally considered “safe” to print indoors letting off lower levels of fumes making basic ventilation in a room sufficient. ABS and ASA on the other end should be actively ventilated as they release noticeable fumes and particles that can cause irritation and/or discomfort. PETG and TPU are also considered to be moderately safe to print indoors but may want some amount of ventilation. Nylon is strongly recommended to have good ventilation as it can release noticeable fumes compared to PLA, PETG, and TPU.
Resin printing requires more precautions than FDM printing as a standard. Uncured resin is toxic and can cause skin irritation, allergic reactions, and eye injury upon contact. Direct contact with the skin or eyes should be avoided as much as possible. Resin can also release strong odors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which can cause headaches and respiratory irritation meaning good ventilation is a must. It is strongly recommended to wear gloves, eye protection, and a respirator as well as working in a well-ventilated area when dealing with resin. This includes pouring resin in the vat, washing prints, and curing. When curing prints it’s advisable to not look into the UV source or use a curing station that is enclosed. When disposing of equipment such as gloves, paper towels, supports, etc. make sure that the resin is cured before disposal. Reusable tools can be cleaned w/ isopropyl alcohol and a paper towel. Do not pour liquid resin down the drain. As such even water washable resin should not be rinsed in the sink.
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FDM Printing
FDM printing will be the most common thing you’ll see in current times when it comes to making armor and props, but what about what filament to choose? When it comes down to it you’ll have to weigh the pros and cons yourself to determine the best filament choice for your particular use cases, but there are some common themes that are popular. PLA (and variants), PETG, ABS, ASA, and others have all been used to great success by members.
Please note this list of resins is not all-inclusive only covering some of the more commonly used filaments in cosplay as of the time of writing this guide.
PLA (Polylactic Acid)
This is likely what shipped with your printer if it came with a roll of filament. It’s relatively low cost running around the US $10-$$35 range. You’ll often be able to easily find it in any store that carries filament allowing you to quickly restock should you run out while in crunch mode. PLA is less likely to warp while printing that many other options which may put your mind at ease during those longer prints. However there are also some key cons as well. PLA prints at a lower temperature than many of the other filament types, and as such is more likely to soften and warp in hot environments. You won’t want to leave a PLA part in your car in the sun for example, and you’ll want to be careful of friction and heat causing the part to warp more than sand when finishing items.
There are PLA products with additional additives which may help alleviate some of the cons but they are still PLA at the core. PLA+, PLA Pro, HTPLA, and fiber-reinforced PLAs all seek to resolve one of the downsides of PLA whether it be brittleness, strength, temperature resistance, etc.
You may want to limit PLA usage, but many members have made and continue to make parts using PLA or PLA with additives to great success.
Helmet printed out of PLA+; Source: Fallen
Warped PLA print from DragonCon 2025; Source: Drim
PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol)
PETG sits in a kind of sweet spot for rigid part printing. It melts at a higher temperature than PLA and results in parts that are tough but slightly flexible. It doesn’t tend to snap under stress, but rather flexes at failure before breaking. Like with anything those pros come with some downsides. PETG is often stated to be harder to sand compared to PLA, but your experiences may differ from others. PETG does have a tendency to soak up moisture in the air and creates more stringing when printing than most other filaments. These can be alleviated however by drying your filament and tuning your print temperature and retraction settings. Prices for PETG are comparable to PLA tending to cost around US $15-$40 per roll.
If you’re looking for a change from PLA but aren’t ready to try your hand at a trickier filament PETG could be just the thing you want to try out next.
SMG printed in PETG-HF; Source: YTunz
ABS(Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)/ ASA(Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate)
You might be familiar with ABS without knowing it. If you’ve ever played with LEGO bricks, those classic bricks are made from ABS. It’s a strong, heat-resistant plastic but is more temperamental than both PLA and PETG. ABS parts will hold their shape well even if left in a warm car, are less likely to shatter if accidentally dropped at a convention than PLA and are good and strong for things like clips and buckles. It sands quite well and if desired can be vapor and/or chemically smoothed with acetone while taking appropriate safety precautions. The key downsides to ABS make it less beginner friendly than previous filament types with a higher propensity to warping during a print and making an enclosure almost a necessity to alleviate the risk. ABS also produces strong smells and you should take precautions to ventilate the area and avoid breathing in fumes regularly.
ASA is similar to ABS and was originally developed as an alternative to ABS that would be more UV resistant. It contains many of the same downsides to ABS including propensity to warp outside of an enclosure and high recommendation to ventilate the printers.
For pricing ABS will run approximately US $15-$40 per roll while ASA will set you back US $20-$45 per roll.
Helmet printed in ABS; Source: Drim
TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane)
TPU is steadily growing in popularity when it comes to cosplay due to its flexibility, durability, and impact resistance. TPU parts can bend, stretch, and compress with reason making them a great option for parts that need to move to provide more comfort than a rigid filament. When choosing a TPU you’ll want to check the shore hardness to help determine how flexible that particular part will be. A higher shore hardness filament will be easier to print but a more rigid part whereas a lower shore hardness is more difficult to print while creating super flexible, squishy parts. Shore hardness describes how hard or soft a material is and is formatted in a number and letter scale (ex. 95A, 60D). With filaments you’ll most likely see A scale filaments, but some, like Bambu Labs TPU for AMS lists it in D scale. A scale will be softer and more rubbery compared to D scale that tends to be harder and more rigid. Most often if there’s no value listed it will be a 95A TPU
Source: https://www.smooth-on.com/page/durometer-shore-hardness-scale/
Raw and sanded part in 95A TPU; Source: DeltaAlphaZulu
TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer)
TPE is similar to TPU, but generally will be softer and stretchier. It’s harder to print due to that nature, but can create some great parts that are flexible and comfortable. Think items like neckseals would benefit from TPE compared to TPU.
Neckseal printed in TPE; Source: SSGLordBert
TPU Air (aka Lightweight or Foaming TPU)
TPU Air is really the name for Sirya Tech’s lightweight TPU filament which is a foaming TPU that bubbles when heated passing through your printer’s hotend resulting in a lightweight print compared to the same part printed out of other materials. The bubbles weaken the material ever so slightly creating even more flexibility, but the real win is that depending on the print temperature TPU Air can have various shore hardnesses ranging from 65A up to 82A. Parts with TPU will be quite flexible, and it may be a great application for parts that tend to have a “pinch” in joints or even some undersuit components.
Chest plate segment in TPU Air; Source: Drim
Filament
| Filament | Ease of Use | Heat Resistance | Durability (Impact/Wear) | Typical Price (U.S., per 1kg) |
| PLA (basic) | Very Easy | Low | Fair | $10-$30 |
| PLA+/PLA Pro | Easy | Low | Moderate | $12-$35 |
| HTPLA | Easy-Moderate | Medium-High | Moderate | $15-$40 |
| PETG | Moderate | Medium | Strong | $15-$40 |
| ABS | Hard | High | Strong | $15-$40 |
| ASA | Moderate-Hard | Very High | Strong | $20-$45 |
| TPU | Moderate-Hard | Medium | Strong | $25-45 |
| TPE | Hard | Medium-Low | Moderate-Strong | $30-$50 |
| TPU Air | Hard | Medium | Moderate | ~$55 |
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Resin Printing
Resin printing is a fantastic option, but it may not be what you want to start with initially. It works by filling a vat on the printer with a liquid UV-curing resin which the printer will cure layer by layer while pulling the part ultimately out of the vat of liquid. You can get fine details to come out cleanly and parts that require little to no sanding depending on your desired finish.There are a few factors you’ll need to consider when it comes to resin printing including enhanced safety measures, proper disposal methods, and work area cleanliness.
Resin requires additional safety precautions you would not need to make when printing with most consumer FDM printing plastics. First, always wear PPE including at least a respirator and gloves. You do not want to be breathing in fumes or letting resin get on your skin. If it does, clean the area thoroughly immediately. It’s highly recommended to wear safety glasses when pouring, washing, and removing supports to avoid either resin or IPA splashes or support shards going into your eyes. Always work in a well ventilated space. If you can set up a fume hood situation that ventilates to the outside, do so.
For a surface, you’ll want to contain the resin as much as possible. A silicone mat under any printers, wash stations, and cure stations along with some trays for transporting prints between devices can work wonders. In my case I have a large silicone mat that all of my machines sit on and a lunch tray sitting in front of the resin printer at all times. If there is a spill, cleaning with some isopropyl alcohol and curing with a UV light becomes easy as everything is contained.
Confined small resin workstation; Source: Fallen
The above photo of a contained working environment uses a fan with a vent line going out the window, a silicone mat on the bottom of the housing, the printer and wash and cure station, and a lunch tray for placing parts. When working paper towels were placed on the tray, and all steps with printed parts happened within the enclosure until they were fully cured.
On a disposal note, do not throw away uncured resin. Cure it under a UV light or take the lunch tray outside to let all resin cure before disposal. Do not pour resin down a drain; this includes uncured resin in any washing fluid.
Resins
Please note this list of resins is not all-inclusive only covering some of the more commonly used UV curing printing resins in cosplay as of the time of writing this guide.
General Purpose / Standard Resin
This will be the typical resin you find in a shop or online. Think of this like the PLA of the resin printing world. It’s the basic starting point for beginners. Standard resin will absolutely be capable of printing crisp details and generally can print reliably with standard settings from your chosen slicer while still being an affordable option. On the downsides however general purpose resins have a tendency to be brittle compared to other options.
While High Resolution Resins could be a separate category for simplicity sake I’ll include it as a note to standard resin as it’s not fundamentally different. The main things to consider if choosing between a general purpose or high resolution resin is that the high resolution will cost more and have a lower viscosity. You’ll get more crisp edges and finer details, but the sacrifice is an even more brittle part. Unless you’re going for something w/ tiny details that can’t be achieved by another resin and the part is in an area highly unlikely to be broken it’s probably not worth the price to print in a high resolution resin for a cosplay part.
Standard Resin details bits for Deadeye Helmet; Source: Fallen
ABS-Like Resin
ABS-like resin is a material designed for strength and durability. It intends to replicate the elements of ABS plastic to improve impact resistance and overall toughness. Working with ABS-like resin will be similar to standard resin but tend to require a slightly longer curing time. However given its improved impact resistance it’s more suitable to a part that is thinner, likely to get knocked, or under some degree of stress.
Shoulder medallions for a Power Ranger Spartan crossover; Source: SSGLordBert
Water Washable Resin
Water washable resins, like the name implies, is a UV curing resin whose formula is meant to be able to wash away uncured resin with water instead of requiring isopropyl alcohol (IPA) like most other UV resins. The major pro is that you’re using simple water for washing parts and you don’t have to purchase or dispose of IPA making it more cost effective, and you won’t have the smell that comes with working from IPA. You won’t lose out on details, but it’s important to note that water washable resin parts have a tendency to be even more brittle than their standard resin counterparts. Despite the name water washable, DO NOT rinse parts in the sink. Uncured resin in general is toxic and should not be poured down a sink. This also means when replacing your wash bucket water; you should not be pouring that water down the drain.
UNSC emblem printed in Elegoo Water Washable Resin; Source: Fallen
Clear / Transparent Resin
Transparent resins have their own special use case that warrants pointing out. Clear resin will allow you to create LED diffusors for light covers, windows and lenses, and in some cases even visors so long as the model fits your build volume. You have the option with clear resins to add dyes to the resin itself before printing or to dye the part after post processing depending on your comfort with each. As the name implies the parts will initially look quite clear while still wet with uncured resin, but as you process the part by washing and curing it, it’s likely to come out more cloudy than fully transparent. Don’t be afraid of that; sanding, polishing, and clear coating all help to bring back the crystal clear look.
Resin visor still on the print bed; Source: LesChriserables
Various dyed and undyed visors; Source: billeybob250
Resin visor after processing; Source: LesChriserables
Flexible / Rubber-Like Resin
Flexible or Rubber-like resin is designed to cure into a still bendable and elastic material with bottles often advertising their rated shore hardness (see TPU section) on them. Similar to your FDM TPU prints, parts made out of flexible resin will bend without cracking and can be slightly stretched. It’d be a great material for something that needs to absorb impact, flex, or require some amount of squish for comfort. As of initially writing this guide I have not yet tried flexible resin, but I will attempt to update this guide after I’ve had a chance to give it a go.
Resins
| Resin | Ease of Use | Durability (Impact/Wear) | Typical Price (U.S., per 1L) |
| Standard | Very Easy | Poor | $15-$30 |
| ABS-like | Moderate | Strong | $25-$50 |
| Water Washable | Very Easy | Poor | $18-$25 |
| Clear/Transparent | Moderate | Poor | $20-$40 |
| Flexible | Moderate | Moderate | $35-$60 |
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