3D Printed Shampoo Bottles?
Polypropylene (PP) is a thermoplastic with a semi-crystalline structure that’s used for mass-producing products ranging from toys to utensils to medical equipment. Although not necessarily a household name, it’s the second most commonly used plastic in the world.
What enables it to be used in so many different applications is its useful properties:
- Fatigue resistance
- Heat resistance
- Impressive tensile strength
- Lightness
- Impermeability
- Food safety
- Smooth surface finish
Printing with PP
When one considers how to 3D print polypropylene, challenges easily arise, especially bed adhesion and warping. If you’re using polypropylene FDM filaments you’ll also ideally want an enclosed 3D printer for the heated bed chamber.
The good news is that 3D printed polypropylene has very similar characteristics as when it’s injection molded. At the same time, polypropylene can be 3D printed on both FDM and SLS machines.
There are tons of 3D printing services out there offering materials like PLA, ABS, PETG, and other common plastics, but PP is rare to find.
Once you do find PP as an available material that a 3D printing service offers, you’ll notice they typically use SLS technology. The main reason is that those who need PP parts are usually professionals who want the best possible quality, which is achieved via SLS. (FDM can’t quite compete with the level of precision.)
Using a 3D printing service takes out the work and hassle of printing with PP. But which one should you go for? Read on to see how we decided and what our top picks are.
Criteria
To ensure the presented services provide you with as much value as possible, we’ve taken the following into consideration:
- Wide variety of available finishes
- Easy and modern user experience
- Best price for the best quality
And now, let’s proceed to the list! Keep in mind that the order in which services are presented does not indicate a ranking.
Your Global Alternative: Craftcloud
Sometimes it can be challenging and time-consuming to find a 3D printing service that suits your needs. A great solution is Craftcloud by All3DP.
With partners all around the world, Craftcloud presents you with the best services in terms of price and lead time, with no additional fees added. Quotes are generated in real-time, based on your model(s) and location.
Craftcloud’s user interface is made with the goal of being as simple and intuitive as possible while offering a vast array of technologies and finishes. In addition to common materials like PLA or resin, polypropylene and other rarer offerings are available.
Craftcloud’s support staff is always willing to help. In case your 3D design is not suitable for 3D printing, they’ll work with you to get the part print-ready. Also, if you have an idea and no design yet, the Craftcloud team will help you get your project off the ground.
i.Materialise
i.Materialise is an online 3D printing service, offering a very wide range of technologies and materials.
As you’d expect, polypropylene 3D printing is available by laser sintering. Parts have a sandy look (because of the sintering) and are available only in a translucent, off-white color. However, the smallest details on your parts can be perfectly manufactured.
The order process is simple: Upload a 3D model to their instant quote generator and select the material and finish. The minimum order value is €30, and shipping is an additional cost. Customers can pay with credit cards or via PayPal.
The main downside to using this service is the minimum order value; it’s not the most cost-effective if you need a smaller part to be 3D printed in PP.
- Available finish: Grainy surface with translucent off-white color
- User experience: The live quote generator makes it fast and easy to order parts
- Pricing: Minimum order value of €30 (not including shipping)
- Paying methods: Credit cards or PayPal
- Shipping: Yes
Protolabs
Protolabs is a firm dedicated to providing manufacturing services like CNC machining, injection molding, and 3D printing. They offer multiple 3D printing technologies, including SLS for 3D printing polypropylene.
Predictably, there’s a grainy surface on the PP printed parts from the SLS process, but the level of detail is high. Additionally, customers can only choose the “natural color” (pictured above).
Depending on which language you choose, the firm’s website changes a bit. However, all the important information stays the same.
There’s an instant quote generator that’s easy to use, but you’ll need to create an account first. Once you put in your order, you’ll notice a high price if you only wish to have a single model made.
In case you’re ordering a bigger batch of products, say more than 10, prices immediately start to drop. It’s a normal situation, though, as manufacturing costs decrease the more copies of a part you produce.
The ordering process is standard and simple. Paying is done via credit card, and shipping is available. If there’s a Protolabs office or workshop in your area, you can also arrange for pickup.
- Available finish: Grainy surface with “natural” color
- User experience: You have to register before using the live quote generator; ordering is fairly straightforward
- Pricing: High for only a few parts, but competitive when ordering more
- Paying methods: Credit cards
- Shipping: Yes, but pickup can be arranged if you’re close to one of Protolabs’s workshops
3D-Alchemy
3D-Alchemy is a UK-based firm focusing on providing 3D printing and 3D design services. Among the various available materials, they also offer two options for 3D printing in polypropylene.
The first is 3D printing with real PP powder on an SLS 3D printer. As you’d expect, the surface finish is grainy, but with powder, you’ll get all the benefits of PP’s properties.
The alternative comes in the form of PolyJet 3D printing with a material that simulates the appearance and functionality of PP called Rigur (RGD450).
One thing that we weren’t very impressed with is 3D-Alchemy’s website, which looks dated. All the information you need is there, but the experience could be improved with a refreshed UI.
Quotes are requested via a contact form, where you can upload your models. It’s not instant, but instead, you’ll receive an email reply with a quote after the staff inspects your request. Pricing is fair and competitive.
- Available finishes: Grainy surface with SLS, smooth with PolyJet; white color for both
- User experience: The website looks dated and the quote generator isn’t instant
- Pricing: Fair and competitive
- Paying methods: Purchase with a credit card or cash
- Shipping: Yes, pickup can also be arranged
Lead image source: UptimeFab
License: The text of "Polypropylene (PP) 3D Printing Service: The Best Providers" by All3DP Pro is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.