Additive Manufacturing Materials

From standard
filaments to novel
materials.

ALT provides both commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) additive manufacturing materials and proprietary novel materials and processes developed for Physical AI applications — synthetic tissues, high-strength composites, and embedded-sensor structures.

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Tier 1 — COTS

Standard & Engineering Materials

Production-ready thermoplastics, carbon fiber composites, and resins for prototyping, functional parts, and end-use manufacturing — available now.

Tier 2 — ALT Novel

Proprietary Materials & Processes

ALT-developed synthetic tissue materials, bio-inspired composites, and multi-functional structures engineered for robotics, prosthetics, and Physical AI systems.

Base Polymers Carbon Fiber High Performance Flexible & TPU Resin & SLA ALT Novel Selection Guide

COTS — Tier 1

Base polymer filaments

The workhorse materials of FDM/FFF additive manufacturing. ALT stocks and prints all major thermoplastic families for prototyping through end-use production parts.

PLA

Polylactic Acid

The most accessible 3D printing material. Biodegradable, derived from corn-based biomaterials, minimal warping. Best for prototypes and visual models.

Print temp190–220°C

Bed temp20–60°C

Heat resistance~50°C

PrototypingBiodegradableEasy print

PLA+

Enhanced PLA

Engineered PLA with 3–4× higher impact resistance, improved layer adhesion, and better temperature resistance (~70°C). Maintains easy printability.

Print temp190–230°C

Impact resistance3–4× standard PLA

Heat resistance~70°C

Functional partsLow cost

ABS

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene

Industry-standard engineering polymer. Superior impact resistance over PLA, acetone-smoothable for glossy finish, durable and heat-resistant. Requires enclosed printer.

Print temp220–260°C

Bed temp80–110°C

Heat resistance~100°C

AutomotiveElectronics housingsEnclosure needed

PETG

Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol

Best-of-both-worlds material — PLA ease of print with ABS-level durability. Chemical resistance, food-safe capable, optionally transparent. Excellent for mechanical and outdoor parts.

Print temp220–250°C

Bed temp70–80°C

Chemical resistanceGood

Food-safeTransparentMechanical parts

ASA

Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate

ABS-equivalent mechanical properties with built-in UV and weather resistance. No post-processing required for outdoor durability. Preferred for exterior automotive and field-deployed parts.

Print temp240–260°C

Bed temp90–110°C

UV resistanceExcellent

OutdoorUV stableAutomotive

Nylon (PA)

Polyamide

High strength-to-weight, self-lubricating, and excellent chemical resistance. Available in multiple chain lengths (PA6, PA12). Ideal for gears, tools, and wear-resistant end-use parts. Requires dry storage.

Print temp240–280°C

Bed temp80–120°C

Self-lubricatingYes

GearsToolingHygroscopic

Polycarbonate

Engineering-grade thermoplastic with exceptional impact resistance, optical clarity, and temperature resistance to 140°C. Requires high-temp printer with enclosed chamber.

Print temp270–310°C

Heat resistance~140°C

Optical clarityExcellent

High-tempImpact resistantTransparent

Polypropylene

Chemically resistant, fatigue-resistant, and fully waterproof. Very low density. Excellent for containers, living hinges, and marine applications. Challenging bed adhesion requires specialized setup.

Print temp220–250°C

DensityVery low (floats)

Chemical resistanceExcellent

MarineChemical resistantWaterproof

HDPE

High-Density Polyethylene

Fully waterproof, food-safe, and chemically resistant. Common in containers and industrial liners. Very challenging to print — poor bed adhesion requires specialized surface prep.

Print temp220–260°C

Food safeYes

PrintabilityChallenging

Food-safeIndustrialWaterproof

COTS — Tier 1

Carbon fiber composite filaments

Carbon fiber reinforcement dramatically improves stiffness and strength-to-weight ratio. ALT prints all major CF-composite families and uses hardened steel or ruby nozzles as required. PAHT-CF and PPA-CF offer the highest tensile performance in this category.

PLA-CF

Carbon Fiber PLA

Entry-level carbon fiber composite. Significantly increased stiffness and matte professional finish over standard PLA. Requires hardened steel nozzle.

Print temp200–230°C

NozzleHardened steel

StiffnessLightweight

PETG-CF

Carbon Fiber PETG

Enhanced PETG with carbon fiber — improved mechanical properties while maintaining PETG's chemical resistance and relative ease of printing.

Print temp230–260°C

Bed temp70–90°C

Chemical resistantStructural

ASA-CF

Carbon Fiber ASA

UV resistance of ASA combined with carbon fiber structural enhancement. Excellent for outdoor structural parts in automotive and field robotics applications.

Print temp240–270°C

UV resistanceExcellent

Outdoor structuralUV stable

PC-CF

Carbon Fiber Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate's impact resistance combined with carbon fiber reinforcement. Exceptional strength and temperature resistance for demanding engineering applications.

Print temp280–320°C

Bed temp100–130°C

High impactHigh tempEnclosure required

PET-CF

Carbon Fiber PET

Stronger than PETG-CF with improved mechanical properties. Good balance of printability and performance for structural functional parts.

Strength vs PETG-CFHigher

StructuralFunctional parts

PAHT-CF

High-Temp Polyamide CF

One of the highest-performing printable CF composites. Exceptional tensile strength and modulus with high-temperature polyamide base. Preferred for aerospace, robotics, and drone structures.

Tensile strengthVery high

ModulusVery high

RoboticsDronesAerospace

PPA-CF

Polyphthalamide CF

Alongside PAHT-CF, the highest tensile strength and modulus in the printable composite family. Excellent chemical resistance and dimensional stability at temperature.

Tensile strengthHighest class

Chemical resistanceExcellent

Physical AIStructural robotics

COTS — Tier 1 — Engineering Grade

High-performance engineering materials

Industrial and aerospace-grade polymers for demanding functional applications. These materials require high-temperature printers, enclosed chambers, and specialized process control — capabilities ALT maintains in-house.

PEEK

Polyether Ether Ketone

The gold standard of printable polymers. Exceptional mechanical performance, chemical resistance, and biocompatibility. Used in aerospace, medical implants, and extreme-environment robotics. Requires industrial printer at 360–400°C.

Print temp360–400°C

Heat resistance>250°C

BiocompatibleYes

MedicalAerospaceIndustrial printer req.

PEI / Ultem

Polyetherimide

Aerospace-standard material with excellent flame resistance, dimensional stability, and high continuous service temperature. Ultem 9085 is certified for aircraft interior use.

Print temp340–380°C

Flame resistanceExcellent

Service temp>170°C

AerospaceFlame retardantIndustrial

PPSU

Polyphenylsulfone

Medical-device grade polymer with steam sterilization capability and superior impact resistance. Used for surgical instruments, medical housings, and autoclavable components.

AutoclavableYes

Service temp>180°C

Medical devicesSterilizable

COTS — Tier 1

Flexible & elastomeric materials

Flexible filaments for shock-absorbing, sealing, wearable, and soft-robotic applications. Shore hardness and foaming options available. ALT's novel synthetic tissue materials (see below) extend this family significantly for Physical AI applications.

TPU 98A

Thermoplastic Polyurethane — Rigid Flex

The most printable TPU grade. Slightly stiff, compatible with multi-material AMS systems for color/material switching. Waterproof, excellent abrasion resistance. Best starting point for flex applications.

Shore hardness98A

Print temp210–250°C

Multi-materialCompatible

WearablesGasketsMulti-material

TPU AIR

Foaming TPU

Foaming TPU that produces softer, lighter parts when printed slowly or at higher temperatures. Shore hardness is controllable via process parameters. Enables gradient softness structures.

Shore hardnessProcess-controlled

DensityLower than standard TPU

CushioningLightweightGradient structures

TPE / NinjaFlex

Thermoplastic Elastomers

Broad family of elastomeric materials beyond TPU. NinjaFlex is the benchmark — extremely flexible with excellent layer bonding. Used in soft robotics, medical models, and wearable tech.

ElongationVery high

Layer bondingExcellent

Soft roboticsMedical models

COTS — Tier 1 — SLA / DLP

Resin processes

Beyond FDM/FFF, ALT works with resin-based AM processes for applications requiring higher surface detail, finer feature resolution, and smooth as-printed finish.

SLA / DLP Resin

Photopolymer Resins

Highest detail resolution and smooth surface finish of any AM process. Formulations available for standard, tough, flexible, castable, and biocompatible applications. Used for anatomical models, jewelry, and dental.

Resolution25–100 micron

Surface finishExcellent

Anatomical modelsDentalCasting patterns

ALT Novel — Tier 2 — Proprietary

ALT novel materials &
additive processes

Beyond COTS materials, ALT develops proprietary material formulations and additive manufacturing processes for Physical AI applications — where standard materials don't meet the mechanical, biological, or functional requirements.

Why novel materials matter for Physical AI

Physical AI systems — robots, prosthetics, biomimetic structures — require materials that don't exist off the shelf. Synthetic tissues must replicate biological stiffness gradients. Structural composites must integrate sensor channels. Soft actuators must be manufacturable at scale. ALT's novel materials program addresses these gaps directly, combining material science with additive process development.

Novel Material

Synthetic Tissue Composites

ALT-developed multi-component material systems that replicate the mechanical behavior of biological soft tissue — including stiffness gradients, viscoelastic response, and surface properties that interact naturally with biological systems. Used in prosthetics, surgical trainers, and biomimetic robots.

Stiffness rangeProgrammable across print

BiocompatibilityFormulation-dependent

ApplicationsProsthetics, surgical training, soft robots

Novel Process

Multi-functional Embedded Structures

ALT's additive process for printing structural components with integrated sensor channels, electrical conduits, and fluid pathways in a single build. Eliminates post-assembly of sensing elements and wiring harnesses in robotic and prosthetic systems.

Sensor integrationIn-process, no assembly

MaterialsMulti-material FDM + TPU

ApplicationsRobotics, prosthetics, drones

Novel Material

Biomimetic Ceramic Composites

ALT-developed composite architectures modeled on the structural principles of biological ceramics — nacre, bone, and dentin — which achieve exceptional toughness by combining hard ceramic phases with compliant organic interfaces. These biomimetic layered and hierarchical structures deliver damage tolerance and strength-to-weight performance beyond conventional monolithic ceramics or standard polymer composites.

ArchitectureNacre / bone / dentin inspired

Key propertyToughness + damage tolerance

ApplicationsProsthetics, implants, robotic structures

Novel Process

Gradient Material Printing

ALT's multi-material process that transitions continuously between rigid and flexible material zones within a single printed part — enabling prosthetic sockets that are rigid at the structural core and compliant at the interface, or robotic fingers that stiffen proximally and flex distally.

Material transitionContinuous, programmable

Shore range35A to rigid PC

ApplicationsProsthetics, grippers, soft robots

Reference

Material selection guide

Not sure which material fits your application? Use this guide as a starting point — or contact ALT for a material consultation tailored to your requirements.

Use case