Finding the right filament for your desktop 3D printing needs is no walk in the park. Even if you know the exact color or style of material you want, there are numerous brands to investigate before making your final decision. In fact, according to the new global filament directory, Filaments.directory, there are over 1,269 different filaments made from 24 brands across the globe. With the goal of providing their users with accurate information on the wide-ranging, yet widely unknown desktop filament market, Filaments.directory had their new directory evaluated by 600 beta testers in preparation of their official launch.
The directory allows users to perform advanced searches for the optimal filament, selecting between 16 parameters, such as diameter, manufacturer, and reseller brand. Users can also sort by what Filament.directory calls filament “superpower”, over 50 browse-able material characteristics from wood to metal, and conductive to biocompatible. The directory engine can also find the exact color that the user is searching for as well, capable of analyzing inputed RAL, Pantone, RBG information, and even from a selected color within an uploaded photo. Once the filament is found, the directory provides the user with prices, technical data, and links to the retailer.
“With over 1250 different filaments, Filament.directory is very likely to be the largest curated, interactive list of consumer and prosumer FFF 3D printing filaments in the world”, said Gauthier de Valensart, the Founder and CEO of Filaments.directory. “Regardless how 3D printing technologies will evolve in the future, the main quality of the FFF/FDM process is the diversity of end use materials that it is capable of working with. Each day, companies throughout there world invent and develop new filaments that have interesting and useful properties. That is precisely why this directory is just necessary.”
As they continue to expand both their database and userbase, Filament.directory seems like the perfect starting point for any filament shopper. There are a lot of materials to choose from, and the 3D printing community deserves access to all the important information and in-sight available on them. And as more users join the directory, Filaments.directory will be able to provide more accurate data on the global filament market and the 3D printing community in general. Already, Filaments.directory has already discovered some interesting data about the desktop filament market through their beta testers:
– 51% of all available filaments are are based on bioplastics.
– PLA is the clear winner, followed by ABS and filaments with particules.
– 49% of commercially available filaments do not have a RAL or Pantone reference at all.
-The average weight is 830g per spool, with a average price of 41 €/kg.
