A research team at the Samara Polytechnic University (SamPU) in Russia’s Lower Volga region has developed a brand new type of wax filaments for 3D printing.

Wax filaments are in extremely short supply in the market, compared to polymeric ones which are so easy now to come by, SamPU senior engineer Anton Barinov emphasized. “They [wax filaments] are very expensive, and only a handful of companies manufacture them,” he added.

The Samara filaments come in several different kinds and vary in melting temperature. The scientists keep researching in an effort to prove the theoreticized properties of their novel material, such as low contraction rate, low linear thermal expansion coefficient, drop point within 89-97°C, etc. The team expects their filaments to display a competitive price-to-quality ratio.