14 DAY TRIAL // 3D printing enthusiasts have their choice of materials, all sorts of plastics, metals, wood, even marble, in theory. But, in practice, consumer printers tend to work with either ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and Polylactic Acid (PLA). Both have their strengths and weaknesses, but choosing one over the other is a compromise, you give up strength for looks or the other way around.
But some people think you can have them both, quite literally. Proto-Pasta proposes three new hybrid materials that satisfy the needs of several types of users.
Proto-Pasta Carbon Fiber Reinforced PLA is exactly what it sounds, it's made up of NatureWorks 4043D PLA Resin and 15 percent short chopped Carbon Fibers. The combination gives the material a very durable finish. Proto-Pasta is asking $20 (€14.53) for the 250g coil.
Another option is a High-Temperature PLA, another material with a very descriptive name. This one sells for $24 (€17.44) for the 250g coil. The mixture is designed to support higher temperatures than your average PLA, even as high as 88 C.
Finally, there's a Polycarbonate-ABS mixture that results in though printed parts. This material is $16 (€11.62) for a 250g coil. The campaign doesn't have that many backers so far, but with 26 days to go, it looks like the $25,000 (€18,000) KickStarter goal is attainable.