Polypropylene (PP)

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Basic info

Description

In 3D printing, PP (Polypropylene) is mostly used for making hinges, straps, belts, and other bendable parts. The main disadvantage of this material is its price and very poor print surface adhesion. PP has a pretty good resistance against acids, bases/lyes, and organic solvents. PP is lightweight and food-safe (even though regular 3D printing food safety limitations apply). It is translucent in thin layers.

To compare supported material properties, see our material table.

Best use

PP is mostly used for making bendable objects.

Tips for successful printing

Surface preparation

Manufacturers usually recommend the following surface preparations: PP foil (PP tape), glass/mirror with Magigoo PP. We recommend using a smooth PEI sheet with PP tape and setting a higher temperature for better layer adhesion (but relatively lower for the first layer). Printing PP on the powder-coated satin sheet is also possible but be aware that it might adhere less than on the smooth PEI sheet with PP tape.

Temperature

Temperatures may vary depending on the particular filament brand, but standard values are somewhere between 225-245 °C for the nozzle and 80-105 °C for the heated bed. PP is highly prone to warping, consider printing in an enclosure.

Brim

To reduce warping, we suggest using a Brim function. Set the brim in PrusaSlicer to 5-10 mm, depending on the model size.

Sample prints

Bendable objects