Manufacturing Materials | Plastic, Metal, Elastomer, & LSR
Manufacturing Materials
Choose from hundreds of commercial-grade plastics, metals, and elastomers suitable for both prototyping and production
Certification + Compliance
ISO 9001:2015 | ISO 13485:2016 | AS9100D | ITAR
Material Traceability | Customer-Supplied Materials
Material Selector Tools
Compare how our service-specific materials stack up against each other. Sort by material property to quickly identify the best choice for your application.
Material Options by Service
| ##### Thermoplastics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ABS | Polycarbonate (PC) | Polypropylene (PP) | Nylon (PA) |
| ABS/PC | PC/PBT | PPE/PS | PBT |
| HDPE | PEEK | PPS | PMMA (Acrylic) |
| LCP | PEI (Ultem) | PS | POM (Acetal/Delrin) |
| LDPE | PET | PSU | TPE/TPV |
| LLDPE | PETG | SB | TPU |
| ##### Thermosets | |
|---|---|
| Silicone Rubber | Medical-Grade Silicone Rubber |
| Fluorosilicone | Optical Silicone Rubber |
Material Guides
Take a deep dive into specific materials
Polypropylene (PP): Understand the Key Benefits and Applications
Explore why customers use ABS and the common applications for the versatile and durable plastic
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Nylon: Understand the Key Benefits and Applications
Nylon is a versatile material that offers strength, durability, and chemical resistance
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HDPE
Key Benefits and Advantages of HDPE for CNC machining and Injection Molding
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Plastic Manufacturing: Common Processes and Materials
Learn how to select the best manufacturing process and material for your custom plastic parts
Read Guide
Stainless Steel
This versatile, corrosion-resistant, and attractive metal is consistently a popular choice.
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Aluminum
This metal is popular due to its high strength-to-weight ratio, excellent corrosion resistance, conductivity, and recyclability.
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Titanium
Explore the diverse applications of titanium for 3D-printed and CNC-machined parts
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TPU
TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) is a versatile material used in both 3D printing and injection molding due to its flexibility, durability, and resistance to abrasion and chemicals.
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ABS Plastic: Understand the Key Benefits and Applications
Explore why customers use ABS and the common applications for the versatile and durable plastic
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Advantages, Disadvantages, and Applications for Polycarbonate
Explore why customers use polycarbonate and the common applications for the impact-resistant plastic
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Download Our Periodic Table of Materials
The Periodic Table of Materials is your go-to guide for the most popular materials offered at Protolabs. Whether it is injection molding, CNC machining, 3D printing or sheet metal fabrication, download the guide and hang it at your desk for easy reference during your next project.
Find the Right Material
Explore popular material choices based on key characteristics like corrosion or UV resistance.
Common Impact-Resistant Plastics
Need long-lasting plastic parts? Take a dive into the world of impact-resistant plastics.
Read Design Tip
How to Choose a Heat Resistant Plastic
Melted plastic parts stink. Find out what materials will help you avoid this issue in your products.
Read Design Tip
UV Resistant Plastics
This design tip evaluates UV-resistant plastic options available for injection molding, 3D printing, and CNC machining.
Read Design Tip
Top Corrosion-Resistant Metals
Parts turning to piles of rust? These materials can help you avoid the scourge of corrosion.
Read Design Tip