Best Water-Soluble Support Filaments to Buy
Water-soluble support filaments are designed to dissolve in water, making it much easier to create complex prints without worrying about removing traditional supports. This not only saves time but also protects the intricate details of your prints from potential damage caused by manual removal.
With a growing interest in these innovative filaments, knowing which options are the best and where you can buy them is important. This guide will introduce you to the top water-soluble support filaments available on the market, helping you choose the right one for your 3D printing needs. Whether you're a hobbyist or a professional, understanding these options will enhance your printing experience and improve the quality of your creations.
What is a Water-Soluble Filament?
Manufacturers have long aimed to create water-soluble support filaments due to their safety and accessibility, which do not require harsh chemicals. This category offers various materials, making it versatile for various filaments. Water-soluble filaments fall into two main types:
-Low-Temperature Compatible: These are typically PVA or BVOH-based, working well with PLA and some PA, albeit less so. BVOH, an evolution of PVA, shows superior compatibility with PETG and some flexibles, dissolving faster in cold water. Notable examples include LAY-PVA and Mowiflex for PVA, and Z-SUPPORT Premium for BVOH.
-High-Temperature Compatible: These advanced filaments blend a water-soluble polymer with sugar, like trehalose, offering compatibility with a wide temperature range, including ABS to PEEK or ULTEM. Aquasys 120 and Aquatek X1 are notable for their compatibility with various materials and resistance to high chamber temperatures.
Aquasys 180 is the most advanced, compatible even with PEKK, PEEK, ULTEM, and PPSU due to its high-temperature tolerance. However, their high solubility in water, while advantageous, also makes them sensitive to moisture, requiring special storage and handling to prevent issues like clogging or adhesion problems.
Choosing the right soluble filament depends on the base material.
-ABS/ASA: Water-soluble ATP filaments are recommended over HIPS due to their environmental friendliness and compatibility with ABS/ASA, minimizing moisture-related issues.
-PLA: PVA and BVOH-based filaments are best suited, with BVOH being less moisture-sensitive but slightly pricier.
-PETG/PA: Aquasys 120 is preferred due to better compatibility compared to PVA or BVOH.
-Flexibles: While compatibility is challenging, BVOH or Aquasys 120 can be tested for suitability.
-PEEK/PEKK/PEI/PPSU: Aquasys 180 offers these materials' best compatibility and thermal stability.
Using a single filament like Aquasys 120 or Aquatek X1 across different materials simplifies workflow. Despite being grouped under "soluble filaments," each type caters to specific needs, ensuring compatibility from PLA to high-performance materials like PEEK.
What are the Best Options Available for Water-Soluble Filament?
1. Ultimaker PVA
Ultimaker PVA: Image Source: ultimaker.com
Ultimaker PVA stands out as a premier water-soluble support material, revolutionizing multi-extrusion 3D printing by simplifying the creation of intricate designs.
-Advanced Dual Extrusion System Integration: Integral to our sophisticated dual extrusion setup, Ultimaker PVA ensures robust adhesion with materials like PLA, Tough PLA, CPE, and Nylon. This seamless integration enhances the printing experience by facilitating complex designs with ease.
-Environmentally Safe Disposal: Ultimaker PVA's non-toxic composition allows for safe disposal in regular tap water, ensuring a sustainable printing process. Its 100% biodegradability minimizes environmental impact, producing no harmful waste during disposal.
-Exceptional Thermal Stability: With excellent thermal stability, Ultimaker PVA surpasses other PVA filaments in resisting degradation, ensuring enduring print quality. This feature contributes to long-lasting and reliable prints, maintaining the integrity of intricate designs.
-Effortless Cleanup: Operating at a melting temperature of 163 ºC, Ultimaker PVA effortlessly dissolves in tap water, simplifying post-print cleanup. The straightforward cleanup process enhances workflow efficiency, saving time and effort.
-Versatility for Diverse Applications: Ultimaker PVA's versatility extends to various applications, including creating parts with intricate geometries, fabricating concept models, and producing detailed molds. Its adaptability makes it a go-to choice for users seeking reliable, efficient, and eco-friendly 3D printing solutions.
Specifications:
- Type: Ultimaker PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol)
- Diameter: 2.85mm
- Recommended Print Temperature: 215°C–225°C
- Recommended Cooling Fan Speed: 50%
- Recommended Bed Temperature: 60°C
Ultimaker PVA, with its outstanding properties and eco-friendly characteristics, emerges as a top-tier choice for users prioritizing quality, efficiency, and sustainability in 3D printing.
Price: £43.25
Where to buy: Creat3d.shop.
2. MatterHackers PVA
MatterHackers’ PRO Series PVA: Image Source: matterhackers.com
MatterHackers' PRO Series PVA stands out as a reliable water-soluble support material specifically designed to address the challenges of intricate 3D printing. Its features cater to professionals and hobbyists alike, enhancing the overall additive manufacturing experience.
-Dependable Support for Complex Designs: PRO Series PVA ensures strong adhesion to the print bed and is compatible with a range of building materials, offering a seamless solution for printing intricate parts like architectural models and multipart assemblies.
-Efficient Support Removal and Environmental Friendliness: The water-soluble nature of PRO Series PVA simplifies post-processing, significantly reducing the time, effort, and materials needed for support removal. Moreover, its non-toxic and biodegradable composition ensures safe disposal and environmental sustainability.
Technical Specifications:
-Compatibility: PLA, Tough PLA, TPU, Nylon, PETG, and PVB
-Printing Temperature: 210° ±10°
-Print Bed Temperature: 55-60°C
-Density: 1.32 g/cm³
-Filament Weight per Spool: 1kg
So, MatterHackers’ PRO 55–60 PVA sets a high standard in 3D printing support materials, offering reliable performance, ease of use, and environmental responsibility, making it a preferred choice for users aiming for exceptional results in their projects.
Price: $125.00
Where to buy: Matterhackers.com.
3. eSUN PVA+
eSUN PVA+: Image Source: amazon.com
This PVA polymer has garnered significant praise from the 3D printing community for its exceptional qualities. It's lauded for its ability to dissolve readily in water, which not only makes it eco-friendly but also safe for handling.
-Excellent Solubility and Compatibility: One of its standout features is its superb solubility, allowing easy removal without causing any harm to the printed object. Moreover, it meshes well with various materials, like PLA, ensuring sturdy connections and suitability for complex designs.
-Stable Dimensional Tolerance and Smooth Feeding: By maintaining precise dimensions, it minimizes warping issues and ensures a consistent flow for seamless, detailed prints, sans any clogging or deformities. Packaged in a hassle-free 0.5 kg reel, it provides smooth operation and strong adhesion between layers, guaranteeing uninterrupted printing.
-Support Material Capabilities and Optimal Storage: An outstanding aspect is its support material function; its water solubility eliminates the need for complex assemblies, simplifying post-processing by dissolving support structures with water immersion. Stored in vacuum-sealed packaging with a desiccant bag, it remains pristine and free from contaminants, ensuring top-notch performance when used.
Price:₹8,249
Where to buy: Amazon.in.
4. PolyDissolve S1 (PVA)
PolyDissolve S1 (PVA):ImageSource: us.polymaker.com
PolyDissolve S1 serves as our water-soluble support and is designed to work seamlessly with a variety of filament types like PLA, TPU, PVB, and nylon. This specially crafted support material is made to blend well with these filaments while also being highly soluble. Here are the details:
- Compatibility: PolyDissolve S1 is compatible with PLA, TPU, PVB, and nylon filaments, providing excellent support and easy solubility.
- Printing Recommendations: The recommended printing temperature ranges from 215˚C to 225˚C, with the bed temperature set between 25˚C and 60˚C. A printing speed of 30mm/s to 40mm/s is recommended, and it's advised to keep the fan on during printing.
- Retraction Settings: Depending on your setup (direct or indirect drive), adjust the retraction distance accordingly. For direct drive, use a retraction distance of 1mm and a speed of 20mm/s. For indirect drive, adjust to a distance of 3mm and a speed of 40mm/s.
- Drying Recommendations: If moisture absorption occurs, consider drying at 80˚C for 12 hours. However, it's essential to dry only when necessary.
- Storage: PolyDissolve S1 is hygroscopic, so store it in a dry box to prevent moisture absorption, which can affect its performance.
- Dissolution Time: The time it takes for PolyDissolve S1 to dissolve varies from 6 to 12 hours, depending on your setup. To speed up this process, you can increase water temperature, change water regularly, and use a pump for water circulation.
- Spool Details: When using a 1kg cardboard spool, ensure the inner hole diameter is 55±1mm, the spool diameter is 200±1mm, the width is 50.6±2mm, and the weight is 125±7g. These specifications help ensure smooth printing without any spool-related issues.
These guidelines and specifications are crucial for achieving optimal results and reliable 3D printing outcomes with PolyDissolve S1.
Price: $59.99
Where to buy: Us.polymaker.com
Having looked at the best water-soluble filament, it’s also important to have a look at the best 3D printing software. There are many that are available, but we recommend using SelfCAD. It is an easy-to-use 3D design software suitable for both seasoned professionals and beginners. It comes with all the necessary tools that you need to create both simple and complex 3D models. You can also import files designed in other programs and modify them in SelfCAD. For example, you can import an STL file and color it as shown in the video below.
The software also comes with an in-built online slicer that you can use to slice your files and prepare them for 3D printing, as shown in the video below.
SelfCAD also comes with many resources for learning including interactive tutorials, SelfCAD academy, and YouTube videos like 3D modeling tutorials for beginners and 3D modeling 101 series.
Achieving Superior 3D Prints with Water-Soluble Support Filaments
Water-soluble support filaments have significantly transformed the process of creating intricate 3D prints, simplifying support removal. Options like PVA and BVOH enable users to achieve impeccably clean and accurate prints with minimal hassle. When selecting a water-soluble filament, it's essential to consider factors such as compatibility, solubility, print quality, and cost-effectiveness. Trustworthy sources for acquiring these filaments include online marketplaces, manufacturer websites, and specialized 3D printing stores. Adhering to best practices regarding storage, printing parameters, and dissolution techniques allows you to maximize the potential of these groundbreaking materials, taking your 3D printing endeavors to new levels of success.
Enjoy powerful modeling, rendering, and 3D printing tools without the steep learning curve.
Need to learn 3D modeling? Get started with interactive tutorials.