PVA Filament
PVA is a water soluble material often used as a support structure for more complex prints Overview | Positives & NegativesHardware RequirementsAn Overview of PVA Filament
PVA, or Polyvinyl Alcohol, is a soft and biodegradable polymer that is highly sensitive to moisture.
When exposed to water, PVA will actually dissolve, which makes it a very useful support structure material for 3D printing.
When printing extremely complex shapes or ones with partially enclosed cavities, PVA supports can be used and easily removed by dissolving in warm water. Standard supports may have been difficult to print or remove in these situations. PVA can also be used as a model material if there is a need to make quick prototypes.
Positives
- Great water dissolvable support material
- No special solvents required
- No additional hardware required
Negatives
- Moisture sensitive
- Airtight storage containers required
- Greater chances of clogging if the nozzle is left hot when not extruding
- Expensive
Typical Hardware Requirements
Printer Bed
Build Surface
PEI
Painter’s Tape
Painter’s Tape
Filament Extruder
Cooling Fan
Part Cooling Fan Required
Getting Started
Common Applications
- Removable supports or rafts
- Dissolvable/Disintegratable applications
- Decorative parts
Sample Projects
Popular Brands
- Ultimaker PVA
- Matterhackers PVA
- eSun PVA
- HobbyKing PVA