Sparse
Beads run on a diagonal and switch direction each layer, leaving a wide air gap. Stratasys uses it when the part mainly needs to hold its shape. It is the lightest of the four.
FDM on Stratasys machines
Materials and Infill
Our quote page references Stratasys build styles. Our infill percentages are the GrabCAD Print defaults and standards for the style given the material. The finished part is not always that exact percent, because the outside shell of an FDM part is printed solid. These percentages reference the inside fill percentage of the part.
Infill
Fused deposition modeling lays down beads of plastic. The outside of the part is a few contour paths, plus solid layers on the top and bottom. What goes in the middle is the infill. Stratasys offers four standard choices: Sparse, Sparse Double Dense, hexagonal, and solid.
A lighter infill reduces the part's overall weight because less plastic is deposited inside. Solid fills nearly the whole interior, so it is the heaviest. Note that solid is not automatically fully solid, as 3D printing will still leave minor voids in the part. Double Dense and Sparse leave larger amounts of air gaps between the beads, with Sparse leaving the most. On a bulky part that interior is most of the weight, Sparse can cut a large share of it. On a thin wall or a flat plate, the solid shell is already most of the material, so the weight change is smaller. The outer shape stays the same either way, because Stratasys still prints the contours and the top and bottom caps solid.
Double Dense
A grid is deposited in every layer, so it is stiffer than Sparse and still lighter than a solid. The gaps can trap liquid, so large hollow volumes are a poor fit for this style.
Hexagonal
Beads cross in the same layer, so the interior is denser than Sparse Double Dense and still lighter than Solid. Stratasys offers it when the part needs more strength than a sparse grid without a full solid fill.
Solid
This is the Stratasys Solid build style. Neighboring beads are pressed together. It is the strongest and heaviest option. It behaves like a solid part, but the tiny gaps where beads meet mean an FDM part is not watertight as printed.
Stratasys on sparse and solid fillStratasys FDM materials
Why Sparse is 18% on some materials and 7% on ASA
GrabCAD does not ask you to type an infill percent the way a desktop slicer does. Sparse uses a default gap between beads. The percent it reports is about the bead width divided by the bead width plus that gap. Materials that do not bridge well get a tighter gap, and for ABS-M30, ABS-ESD7, PC-ABS, ULTEM 1010, and several others that default lands at about 18%. ASA bridges well, so GrabCAD leaves a wider gap and Sparse shows about 7%.
That number is the bead pattern inside the part, not the whole part. Caps and contours are solid, so a thin plate can end up much denser than the infill setting, while a large cube stays closer to it.
Standard infill for each material
These are the standard Sparse, Double Dense, Hexagonal, and Solid percents for each Stratasys material. Hovering an infill choice on a quote shows the standard for the selected material. The finished part can still differ, because the outer shell is solid.
| Material | Sparse | Double Dense | Hexagonal | Solid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASA | 7% | 14% | 20% | 100% |
| ABS-M30, ABS-M30i, ABS-ESD7, PC-ABS | 18% | 36% | 54% | 100% |
| PC, PC-ISO | 20% | 39% | 59% | 100% |
| Nylon 12 | 20% | 39% | 59% | 100% |
| ULTEM 9085 | 22% | 43% | 60% | 100% |
| ULTEM 1010, ULTEM 1010 CG | 18% | 36% | 60% | 100% |
| Antero 800NA, Antero 840CN03, VICTREX AM 200 | 21% | 42% | 60% | 100% |
| Nylon 12CF | 20% | Not offered | Not offered | 100% |
Stratasys materials on the quote
Stratasys groups these by what the part has to survive. Each note starts with the use case, then the characteristics Stratasys publishes for that material. The links open the Stratasys material page and the datasheet download. Check the current datasheet before you rely on a certification.
Prototyping
Prototyping PLA
Use. Early concept models, fit checks, and form studies where the part only has to show the shape and size. It is the lowest-cost material on the quote, so it suits quick design rounds before moving to a production material.
Characteristics. Stratasys PLA. About 48 MPa tensile, but heat deflection is only about 55°C, so keep it out of hot cars, ovens, and warm machinery. Breakaway support. Offered in solid and translucent colors.
Housings and outdoor parts
ASA
Use. Outdoor housings, covers, and brackets that sit in sunlight. Stratasys offers it as the weather-resistant stand-in for ABS.
Characteristics. UV stable, with strength close to ABS-M30 (about 33 MPa tensile, heat deflection about 98°C). It bridges well, so its standard Sparse infill is only 7%.
ABS-M30
Use. Everyday production parts: fixtures, housings, and end-use pieces that do not need extra heat, chemicals, or UV resistance.
Characteristics. Stratasys production ABS. Stable, machinable, and stocked in many colors. About 32 MPa tensile and 96°C heat deflection. Soluble support, so hidden cavities can be cleaned out.
PC-ABS
Use. Housings, snap fits, and covers that get dropped or flexed, when ABS-M30 is too brittle and full polycarbonate is more than the job needs.
Characteristics. A Stratasys blend of polycarbonate and ABS. Tougher on impact than ABS-M30, with heat deflection around 110°C and tensile strength around 41 MPa.
ABS-M30i
Use. Medical and food-contact tooling, when the part needs ABS-M30 behavior plus a biocompatible-capable grade.
Characteristics. Stratasys biocompatible ABS. Similar heat and strength to ABS-M30 (about 36 MPa tensile, 96°C heat deflection). Confirm the current Stratasys compliance statement before you specify it for a regulated part.
Tough, stiff, and ESD
ABS-ESD7
Use. Jigs, nests, carriers, and housings that touch circuit boards or other parts that cannot take a static shock.
Characteristics. Stratasys static-dissipative ABS. Surface resistance is typically in the 106 to 109 ohm range. Strength and heat are close to ABS-M30. The ESD behavior is in the plastic itself, not from carbon-fiber reinforcement.
Nylon 12
Use. Snap fits, living hinges, ducts, and parts that see fatigue or a light chemical splash.
Characteristics. Unfilled Stratasys Nylon 12, with strong bonds between layers and about 46 MPa tensile. Heat deflection is about 97°C, so it is tough rather than high-heat. Standard infill is 20% Sparse, 39% Double Dense, 59% Hexagonal, and 100% Solid.
PC
Use. Guards, tooling, and functional parts that have to take an impact and more heat than ABS or ASA.
Characteristics. Stratasys polycarbonate. About 57 MPa tensile and 138°C heat deflection. Support is breakaway, not the soluble support used on ABS.
PC-ISO
Use. Medical and food-contact parts that need polycarbonate strength and heat, not just ABS.
Characteristics. Stratasys biocompatible polycarbonate. Strength and heat are in the same range as PC (about 57 MPa tensile, 133°C heat deflection). Confirm the current Stratasys biocompatibility statement before you specify it.
Nylon 12CF
Use. Stiff brackets, tooling, and housings when unfilled Nylon 12 would flex too much and you do not want to jump to metal.
Characteristics. Stratasys Nylon 12 with chopped carbon fiber, about 35% by weight. Much stiffer than unfilled nylon: about 76 MPa tensile and 143°C heat deflection. It is less forgiving across long unsupported spans. Quoted as Sparse or Solid only. Sparse is 20%. Solid is 100%.
High heat and chemicals
ULTEM 9085
Use. Aircraft interior parts, ducts, and other components that need a flame, smoke, and toxicity rating plus high heat.
Characteristics. Stratasys PEI. About 69 MPa tensile and 153°C heat deflection. Choose it when FST documentation matters. Standard Sparse is about 22%.
ULTEM 1010
Use. Autoclave tooling, food-contact capable parts, and under-hood parts that see more heat than ULTEM 9085.
Characteristics. A higher-heat Stratasys PEI. About 81 MPa tensile and 216°C heat deflection. It does not carry the FST rating of ULTEM 9085. It runs on the F900.
ULTEM 1010 CG
Use. The same autoclave, food-contact, and high-heat jobs as ULTEM 1010, when the order also needs certified-grade material and lot traceability.
Characteristics. Stratasys certified grade of ULTEM 1010. Same heat and strength as 1010. Standard infill follows ULTEM 1010: 18% Sparse, 36% Double Dense, 100% Solid.
Antero 800NA
Use. Parts that see fuel, hydraulic fluid, or a vacuum environment where nylon and polycarbonate would swell, crack, or outgas.
Characteristics. Stratasys PEKK. Very low outgassing, high chemical resistance, about 93 MPa tensile and 150°C heat deflection. Standard infill is 21% Sparse, 42% Double Dense, and 100% Solid.
Antero 840CN03
Use. Spacecraft hardware and electronics housings that need both chemical resistance and static dissipation.
Characteristics. The Stratasys PEKK of Antero 800NA, filled with carbon nanotubes so it is static-dissipative. About 86 MPa tensile and 150°C heat deflection. It is not a structural carbon-fiber nylon. Standard infill is 21%, 42%, and 100%.
VICTREX AM 200
Use. Chemical-resistant, high-temperature parts in the PEEK family, such as seals, manifolds, and components that see hot fluids.
Characteristics. A low-melt PAEK developed with Victrex for Stratasys FDM, so these machines can run it. About 70 MPa tensile and 150°C heat deflection. Standard infill is 21% Sparse, 42% Double Dense, and 100% Solid.
Stratasys materialDatasheetAmorphous vs semi-crystalline PEEK