Three V-0 grades in our range, covering impact-tough enclosures, dielectric high-temperature service, and aerospace-stiffness structural parts. Self-certifiable flame ratings on standard FDM hardware · no minimum order, 5-day standard lead time.
Flame retardant 3D printing service · UK · UL94 V-0 grades · quoted in 6 hours.
"James handled the 3D printing for a functional heat resistant component we needed in batch production. He helped dial in the prototype first with their design service, then produced the final batch with really consistent results. Super fast 3D print turnaround and great quality across all the 3D printed parts. Will 100% be coming back."
"We needed a sit-in F1-car for an exhibition to showcase our new racing game. 3D Printing Express took our CAD, optimised it for strength and weight as we had no idea how it all worked! Turned out beautifully. They colour matched the finish and was looking like the real deal. On show day the cockpit ran non-stop, adults and kids jumped in. Multiple visitors asked who built it."
"We ordered a batch of 100 PA-12 parts from 3D Printing Express and could not be happier. Every part arrived consistent, dimensionally accurate, and ready for use straight from the box. The PA-12 gave us the strength and stability we needed for functional testing, with minimal post-processing required. Delivery was on time, communication was excellent, and their QC clearly made a difference."
Each V-0 grade in our range sits at a different point on the impact-vs-heat-vs-dielectric triangle. Match your dominant requirement to the grade.
According to the Polymaker PPS-GF20 TDS, the material delivers 6.05 kV/mm dielectric strength per IEC 60243 and reaches 248.9°C HDT @ 0.45 MPa after the high-HDT 230°C anneal. According to the Polymaker PPS-CF10 TDS, the material reaches 252.5°C HDT @ 0.45 MPa per ISO 75 and 5447 MPa XY Young's modulus per ISO 527 · the stiffest grade in our V-0 range.
| Property | PC-FR | PPS-GF | PPS-CF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base polymer | Polycarbonate + FR additive | 20% glass-fibre PPS | 10% carbon-fibre PPS |
| UL94 rating @ 1.5mm | V-0 | V-0 | V-0 |
| Tensile strength XY | ~62 MPa | 64.1 MPa | 59.4 MPa |
| Young's modulus XY | ~2350 MPa | 4552 MPa | 5447 MPa |
| HDT @ 0.45 MPa | ~110°C | 236.3°C (std anneal) · 248.9°C (high-HDT) | 252.5°C |
| Charpy notched (impact) | ~30 kJ/m² | 7.3 kJ/m² | 5.3 kJ/m² |
| Dielectric strength | Insulator (not characterised for high-V) | 6.05 kV/mm | Conductive at fibre boundaries |
| Water absorption | ~0.35% | 0.11% | 0.225% |
| Continuous service envelope | -40 to ~100°C | -40 to 200°C | -40 to 200°C |
| Chemical resistance | Limited · attacks by aromatics, ketones, strong acids | Broad · acids, bases, solvents to 200°C | Broad · acids, bases, solvents to 200°C |
| Print difficulty | Hard · 90-100°C chamber | Hard · 310-350°C nozzle, hardened steel, room-temp chamber | Hard · 310-350°C nozzle, hardened steel, room-temp chamber |
| Cost per kg (filament) | £50-80 | £110-180 | £110-180 |
| Best for | Impact-tough enclosures, drop-rated housings | EV battery, motor controllers, dielectric high-temp | Aerospace brackets, structural, chemical-plant |
Star (★) marks the column winner on each row. PPS-CF wins on stiffness + HDT. PPS-GF wins on dielectric + moisture stability. PC-FR wins on impact toughness + lower cost. All three V-0 at 1.5mm.
| Rating | Flame test | Self-extinguish | Drips | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V-0 | 50W vertical | ≤10 s | No flaming drips | Electrical, EV, transportation, aerospace (self-cert threshold) |
| V-1 | 50W vertical | ≤30 s | No flaming drips | Less critical electrical, internal housings |
| V-2 | 50W vertical | ≤30 s | Flaming drips allowed | Low-criticality (some hobbyist enclosures) |
| HB | 20W horizontal | Slow burn allowed | · | Default for most commodity FDM filaments · NOT flame-rated for safety-critical use |
| 5V-A / 5V-B | 500W vertical, 5 cycles | ≤60 s | 5V-A no hole; 5V-B hole allowed | Higher than V-0 · industrial enclosures requiring large-flame test |
UL94 V-0 is the most-specified rating in commercial flame-rated parts. PC-FR, PPS-CF, and PPS-GF in our range all hit V-0 at 1.5mm wall · self-certifiable for non-life-critical applications. Full UL certification requires testing the as-built part geometry at a UL-recognised lab.
Send your CAD or sketch + flame rating required (V-0 / EN 45545 / FAR 25.853), service temperature, and load profile. We confirm grade choice within 24 hours.
Fixed price + lead time + grade choice + post-process recommendation (anneal for PPS, paint for outdoor). No design fees on standard quotes.
Hardened-steel nozzle for PPS, standard for PC-FR. Production-grade FDM hardware with calibrated temperature control. 100% infill on flame-critical walls.
PPS grades get 125-130°C / 10-16h post-anneal for full HDT lock-in. PC-FR is anneal-N/A. Dimensional check vs CAD before despatch.
Sent next-day courier from the UK. Documentation pack on request · material TDS, anneal record, dimensional report.
UL94 V-0 is the highest flame rating in the vertical-burn series. A specimen held vertically and ignited by a 50W flame must self-extinguish within 10 seconds, with no flaming drips that ignite the cotton pad below. V-0 is more stringent than V-1 (30s extinguish, no flaming drips) and V-2 (30s, drips allowed). HB (horizontal burn) is the lowest rating · a slow flame spread is allowed. For self-certified flame-rated parts in electrical, transportation, and aerospace applications, V-0 is the buyer-facing threshold. For full third-party UL certification, the part must be tested in its as-built geometry by a UL-recognised lab.
Yes · the filament must be a V-0 grade (PC-FR, PPS-CF, or PPS-GF in our range) and the printed part must retain solid wall thickness at least 1.5mm. Sparse infill and thin walls (under 1.5mm) compromise the rating because flame propagates through the porous internal structure. We print V-0-target parts with 100% infill on critical walls and a minimum 2mm exterior wall. For self-certification this gives the engineering buyer a defensible position; for full UL certification, send the as-built part to a UL-recognised lab.
UL94 is the North American standard, widely used globally for electrical, transportation, and aerospace flame rating. EN 45545 is the European rail standard for rolling-stock interior parts, with hazard levels HL1 / HL2 / HL3. PPS-CF and PPS-GF have inherent flame retardancy that supports EN 45545 specification (manufacturer-published material certifications) but the printed part must be tested per the specific HL classification of the rail project. For rail compliance, send the brief with the HL level required.
PPS-GF for dielectric requirements (the EV battery module needs electrical isolation in addition to flame); PPS-CF for stiffness-critical structural brackets without dielectric needs; PC-FR for impact-tough drop-resistant housings up to ~110°C. PPS-GF20 has 6.05 kV/mm dielectric strength · the dielectric wedge against PPS-CF which is conductive at fibre boundaries.
PA6-FR and ABS-FR are real product categories in injection-moulding but not currently in our standard filament range as of 2026. For PA6-FR applications (EN 45545 rail-rated nylon parts), please ask · we may stock a alternate-source exception on request. For flame-rated ABS-class parts, PC-FR (polycarbonate, more impact-tough) or PPS-CF (engineering composite, higher heat) covers the same buyer intent more completely.
Standard 5 working days from confirmed brief. PC-FR and PPS grades are in stock; we print on hardened-steel nozzles (PPS) or standard print conditions (PC-FR) and process the anneal cycle (where applicable) before despatch. For rush jobs we can quote 2-3 days at a 1.5× premium · send the brief and the deadline.
Filament cost is roughly £50-80/kg for PC-FR (vs £30-50 for plain PC), £110-180/kg for PPS-CF and PPS-GF (vs £30-50 for commodity PETG/ABS). Print time is similar to PA-CF composites · slower than commodity (40-60 mm/s for PPS, 50-80 mm/s for PC-FR). For typical small-batch parts the total quote is roughly 2-4× a PETG equivalent · the flame rating + service envelope justify the premium for safety-critical applications.
You'll hear back from our team within 24 hours · with grade recommendation, anneal plan if applicable, and lead-time confirmation.