3D printers for printing with PVA plastic

PVA (polyvinyl alcohol)

— a material known to many by PVA clerical glue. In 3D printing, it is used in printers as an additional one, similar to HIPS (see the relevant paragraph): supports and other auxiliary elements are printed from PVA, which must be removed from the finished product. Such printing can be done both by two extruders, using two different materials at once, or by one, in turn.

Anyway, this type of thermoplastic has two important advantages over HIPS. Firstly, PVA dissolves in water, which eliminates the need to look for special solvents. Secondly, it can be used not only with ABS, but also with other base materials. The main disadvantage of PVA is associated, again, with solubility in water: printing consumables must be stored in the most dry conditions, since even high humidity can worsen their properties.