# Can 3D printed filament parts be used in medical/skin-contact applications?

Not from the material name, and not from a hobby spool that publishes no certification. Formfutura's Premium ABS Medical sheet is the only row in this catalog with a stored certification string, and that sheet still tells the customer to judge suitability. A printed part is not the same object as the pellet claim.

Not from the material name, and not from a hobby spool that publishes no certification. Formfutura's Premium ABS Medical sheet is the only row in this catalog with a stored certification string, and that sheet still tells the customer to judge suitability. A printed part is not the same object as the pellet claim.

Hobby PLA, PETG, and TPU in this catalog do not carry a medical or food-contact certification string. Use one of those for skin contact only when that maker publishes a specific certification, and then read the limit on the sheet. [Food contact](/answers/food-contact) is the cup and cutter question. [Chemical resistance](/answers/chemical) is a different claim and is not biocompatibility.
## What two sheets actually print

[Formfutura Premium ABS Medical](/brand/formfutura/premium-abs-medical) is the only filament in this catalog with a non-empty safety certifications. The stored strings match the datasheet checked 23 October 2026: "ISO 10993-1, ISO 10993-3, ISO 10993-4, ISO 10993-5, ISO 10993-6, ISO 10993-11, ISO 10993-12." and "USP Class V." The sheet says the filament is biocompatible for up to 30 days of skin and body contact. It also says it is food-contact safe under EU Regulation No. 10/2011 and FDA 21 CFR. Nozzle on the sheet is 235–260 °C (455–500 °F). Bed on the sheet is 90–100 °C (194–212 °F). Drying on the sheet is 70–85 °C (158–185 °F) for 4–6 h. The Open Filament Database bed is 90–110 °C (194–230 °F) and the catalog stores a drying maximum of 85 °C (185 °F) with no hours. The sheet's disclaimer says the data are for reference and that the customer must assess suitability. No warranty of fitness for a particular purpose is offered. Listing prosthetics as an application on that sheet is not this page telling you to print one.

[Spectrum ABS Medical](/brand/spectrum/abs-medical) lists 235–255 °C (455–491 °F) and a bed of 100 °C (212 °F) on the datasheet checked the same day. The sheet says the pellets meet the biocompatibility requirements of USP Class VI or ISO 10993-1, and that this guarantees biocompatibility up to 30 days in contact with the human body for topical use. It also claims food-contact approval under EU No 10/2011 and 21 CFR FDA. The catalog safety certifications for this row is empty, so the product name alone is not what this database stores as a certificate. The disclaimer says the user assumes all responsibility. The preparation date printed on the sheet is 06-04-2022.
## A TPU line, and a TPU with no line

[Siraya Tech Flex TPU 64D](/brand/siraya-tech/flex-tpu-64d) on the page read 23 October 2026 lists Shore 64D under ISO 7619, a nozzle of 240–270 °C (464–518 °F), and a bed of 45 °C (113 °F). The page says "ISO 10993-5/-10/-23 tested for biocompatibility support" and puts a check next to those part numbers. It does not state a contact duration. The catalog safety certifications is empty. That line is not a clearance to print a device. [NinjaFlex TPU](/brand/ninjatek/ninjaflex-tpu) lists 210–240 °C (410–464 °F) and a bed of 30–60 °C (86–140 °F) from the Open Filament Database, dataset imported 13 October 2026, and stores no certification string. The title is not an answer.

The order of the rows follows the sheets that publish medical language, then the hobby TPU a title asks about. It is not a ranking of which one to put on skin.

Updated 2026-10-23. Sources accessed 2026-10-23. Use case: Food contact.

## Ranked filaments

| Rank | Filament | Nozzle | Bed | Price per kg |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | FormFutura Premium ABS Medical | 235–260 °C (455–500 °F) | 90–110 °C (194–230 °F) | — |
| 2 | Spectrum ABS Medical | 235–255 °C (455–491 °F) | 100 °C (212 °F) | — |
| 3 | Siraya Tech Flex TPU 64D | 240–270 °C (464–518 °F) | 45 °C (113 °F) | — |
| 4 | NinjaTek NinjaFlex TPU | 210–240 °C (410–464 °F) | 30–60 °C (86–140 °F) | — |

## Sources

- [Formfutura Premium ABS Medical technical data sheet](https://www.formfutura.com/web/content/306558?download=true) (datasheet)
- [Spectrum ABS Medical technical data sheet](https://spectrumfilaments.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/en_tds_spectrum_medical.pdf) (datasheet)
- [Siraya Tech Flex TPU 64D TDS page](https://siraya.tech/pages/flex-tpu-64d-filament-tds) (manufacturer)
- [Open Filament Database, NinjaTek NinjaFlex TPU](https://api.openfilamentdatabase.org/api/v1/brands/ninjatek/materials/TPU/filaments/ninjaflex_tpu/index.json) (other)
- [Food safe FDM printing, Prusa Knowledge Base](https://help.prusa3d.com/article/food-safe-fdm-printing_112313) (manufacturer)
- [a Reddit thread in r/prusa3d](https://www.reddit.com/r/prusa3d/comments/11dt1cg/) (reddit)
- [a Reddit thread in r/prusa3d](https://www.reddit.com/r/prusa3d/comments/1tqlwdd/) (reddit)
- [a Reddit thread in r/prusa3d](https://www.reddit.com/r/prusa3d/comments/11u4k1f/) (reddit)
- [a Reddit thread in r/3Dprinting](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/sdxw3p/) (reddit)
- [a Reddit thread in r/FixMyPrint](https://www.reddit.com/r/FixMyPrint/comments/119um56/) (reddit)

HTML: https://filamentfacts.com/answers/medical