• What is the general perceived difference between 'budget' and 'premium' ABS filament?

Premium filaments are engineered to perform well in all areas. As soon as I detect an obvious problem with a filament, in my mind it will be classified as budget.
Problems I come across that immediately make me step to other filaments are weak layer adhesion, warping, stringing, leaving residue in the nozzle, translucency of color, and brittleness causing the filament to break inside the extruder after using it for just a couple of weeks/months.



  • (An expansive question I appreciate...) What currently doesn't exist in the filament market, but you wish it did? Whether material, colour, additives, performance, sales terms...?

A strong plastic that will easily sand or be smoothened in another way.
Plastics that look like different materials without actually containing chips of those materials that deteriorate the nozzle.
A rubberlike material that is flexible and stretchy and will print with strong layer adhesion and good surface finish.
Thermochromic materials made in colors to specification.
Filaments available in any Pantone color, to custom order.



  • Most common complaint you have about filament?

Weak layer adhesion - for my job I need to print prototype and end-use parts with mechanical properties as homogeneous as possible.



  • For the UK (or even USA members I guess), would you be prepared to pay a premium for something which was "Made In UK"?

Yes, or for any Western country with high manufacturing standards, for that matter, even though I wouldn't pay much more for this. Labels of official approval make a large impact to customers as well.