Filament for a STEM class: easy, fast, and safe for student projects

Short answer

The best filament for a STEM class is PLA. It is easy for beginners, prints fast so a whole class can finish a project in a period, and runs cool and low-fume on any classroom machine. Per the Prusament PLA datasheet, PLA prints at a 210 C nozzle with full cooling and no heated chamber, which makes it the simple, safe pick for student work that has to succeed on the first try.

Why PLA fits STEM

A STEM class prints to learn, not to push the limits of a material, so the filament has to be forgiving and fast. PLA prints easy, takes high cooling, and runs quick, so a student gets a finished part in one period with few fails. That success rate is what keeps a class moving, since a failed print costs the whole lesson.

PLA also runs cool, around 200 to 210 C, and gives off the least smell of the common filaments, so it suits a closed classroom. ABS and ASA smell and emit more, and they need a heated enclosure, which makes them a poor fit for a STEM room.

Materials for a STEM class

Plan the stock

Buy PLA in a few common colors in 1.75 mm, sized to a term of projects plus a buffer. Keep a small reserve of PETG for the older or advanced students who print functional parts. Store the stock sealed and dry, since a busy class leaves spools open.

For the wider school case, the filament for school page covers the classroom, and the PLA hub covers the material.